Part 1

Just saw Part 1 last night on Ovation. I have avoided this movie since it came out coming from a generation of Charlton Heston. Who could beat that, right? Well, I think this one has come pretty close. As a costumer, I LOVED the costumes, much more accurate that the stylized ones used in the CH version. The jewelry was accurate, as well as the level of quality used in the garments. Okay, so maybe only my kind of people notice this stuff.

Acting, it was pretty good. What I truly enjoyed was the more openness of the quality of life lived, both good and bad, the level of power executed by Pontius Pilate, Tiberius, etc. The mention of homosexuality, (the Greek affliction, bum's rush) mentioned by Tiberius and Marcellus as the reason why Number 40 won't sleep with the whore, Athene. Question? Wasn't he Number 41 in the 1959 version. That movie had some great lines. My favorite is when Ben Hur is called to meet Massala. His aide says something like "There's a man here to see you. He says he's a prince." Then Massala shouts back at him, "Then treat him like one!."

Can't wait to see Part 2.

I had misgivings even before watching this one but wanted to check it out nonetheless. I mean, how could they possibly top the 1959 version with Charleton Heston? Answer: they can't! This made for TV version has a weak cast with mediocre acting. The characters that were so memorable and likable in the Charleton Heston version were poorly developed in this one. I couldn't get myself to care about any of them at all, not even the title character. The movie seems hurried throughout and the scenes that were so spectacular in the 1959 version, particularly the galley battle scene and the chariot race, left me utterly disappointed in this one. I would dare say the silent version from 1925 was better than this one. I don't know what the director and producer of this mini series were hoping to accomplish, but whatever it was, they failed miserably. Lew Wallace must have been turning over in his grave, it simply did not do his book justice the same way the previous two film versions did and even the early 1907 version as a matter of fact. I can see the need to make a remake for the silent black and white movie to update with sound and color. And the 1959 MGM Technicolor version was one of the greatest movies ever made. A monumental epic with a cast of thousands, great stars in the leading roles and William Wyler as the director, they just don't make movies like that anymore.

Just like with the remakes of War Of The Worlds and Planet Of The Apes, this remake was totally unnecessary and can't hold a candle to the much better 1959 version. I say: Leave the timeless classics alone! A great movie can stand on it's own without the need for an "updated" version.

The show is a nice mini-series that even could be better if it was a movie or a show with a better production, but Joseph Morgan's performance as Ben-Hur is impressive! This actor will make great things.

I love this show, but i believe it needs more big, better scenes and maybe with more special effects like Spartacus show, but the actor who play Ben-Hur's character, Joseph Morgan show a great act. He also proved it that he can make better, especially with his role "Klaus" the original vampire at the hit series "Vampire Diaries".

Can't wait to see more performance from this young actor!

This version of Ben Hur focused on a portion of the epic version and successfully produced a very enjoyable movie in its own right. The 22 million dollar budget provided ample resources for the acting, sets and action. I had obtained this mini-series a while back but waited months to watch it believing it would be like all the other adolescent-like series emerging these days e.g. Merlin. I finally decided to watch it or give it to my nephew. I became instantly curious and engrossed and watched the entire 3 hour mini-series in one sitting. I watch too many movies and am ultra-sensitive to bad acting, silly fight scenes and gaffs in general. No leaps of faith for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the mini-series "Rome". And while I will not try to compare the two, I did notice similar elements albeit PG-13 vs Rome's graphic content. Discount the negative reviews and check it out for yourself.

This movie could have been so much better, first, nearly all the actors were a poor choice or just huge miscasts, specially the one who portrayed Ben Hur, most of the acting was contriving and ultimately unconvincing,the only good portrayal was from the actor who played Messala and it seemed to be the only actor who "fit" the character, however him and Ben Hur are supposed to have around the same age, but even after spending years as a slave, Ben Hur looked in his early 20's while Messala looked like in his mid-30's from nearly the start to finish of the movie.

The whole story, even tho the 2-part mini-series is 3h long commercial free, looked extremely rush, one scene, childhood, the next scene several years later, the next one something happens and several years go by, I don't wanna get into specifics not to spoil, but you never get to see any kind of friendship bonding between Ben Hur and Messala, which is the core of the movie, which is also why Ben Hur is more motivated to get his revenge, and like I said, you never see them age or change.

Very weak movie, not bad, but not good and definitely not entertaining.

Rate: 4/10.