I mean you've got to be pretty committed to go so far as to reply to just about every single comment made in this thread.
It's not hard because the bulk of the criticisms consist of typically empty film snob rhetoric by sheeple brainwashed by the ridiculous critical feeding frenzy against Ben-Hur, e.g. "Gee, everyone is saying this is a lousy movie so it
has to be a lousy movie. And, gee, everyone says Gladiator is a masterpiece so, golly, it
has to be."
Which is not to say, of course, that there are quality cinephiles who genuinely favor Gladiator to Ben-Hur and respectfully back-up their view, like yourself.
but from the ones that I have seen in 2016, Ben Hur is in the top 5 worst.
Any unbiased person who has seen both films knows this isn't true. Your criticisms are
overKILL. The problem with this is that blatant exaggeration works against one's argument (except for occasional hyperbole). It diminishes credibility.
The idea that Ben-Hur is a horrible sword & sandal film and one of the worst movies ever, as some argue, is so outrageously false it's hilarious. Get real.
It's right up there with Suicide Squad, Independence Day 2, Ghostbusters and Approaching the Unknown in terms of terrible movies this year.
Haven't seem 'em, although I'll probably see Suicide Squad and GB before too long.
I'm actually glad you brought up Gladiator, it's about time I watched some classics
It's a decent sword & sandal flick; nothing more. I suspect you're allowing nostalgia to taint your perspective. But if you truly think it's that great, more power to ya.
because quite clearly everything being released these days is absolute horse *beep*
Really? Then how is it that "Captain America: Civil War" is one of the greatest superhero flicks? This is more
overstatement that makes you lose credibility.
Yes Ben Hur has a good plot, but in this version the ending is truly appalling.
Thank you for finally admitting that Ben-Hur 2016 has a compelling plot. But you dismiss the movie because you object to the ending, which consists of about 10 minutes of a 125 minute movie.
No sane man would ever forgive his brother, real or not after suffering what he does in this story.
As I've pointed out repeatedly on this thread, the movie drives home the power of God to heal spiritually, physically, mentally and relationally. Judah was able to forgive the utterly
humbled & repentant Messala after his spiritual awakening when Christ is crucified/resurrected and Naomi & Tirzah are miraculously healed.
So Judah was able to forgive because (1.) he was inwardly 'reborn,' (2.) he was empowered by the Spirit of Christ, and (3) the wholly mortified Messala was
genuinely repentant. In light of this, forgiving him wasn't insane at all; in fact, it was the right thing to do. And the family was whole again. It's an
awesome ending, (albeit too rushed for my tastes). What would you prefer, the dispiriting climax of the overrated "The Deer Hunter"?
You have Richard Harris, Oliver Reed, Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix vs Toby Kebbel, Morgan Freeman and Jack Huston...There is a reason why Gladiator was so successful and is still very popular.
Like I said, it's a solid sword & sandal flick, and some of those actors did shine in their roles (e.g. Reed & Djimon Hounsou). Yes, Crowe was courageous as the protagonist, but he was also very one-note, which I suppose the role called for. Morgan Freeman, however, wasn't in Gladiator; he was in Ben-Hur.
To some the OST is not important, but for me the audio very important. The Gladiator OST is a masterpiece, it can be listened to on it's own time and time again. I even purchased the 3 Disc version because I enjoyed The Battle of Carthage, The Might of Rome etc so much. Marco Beltrami tries to bring something original and memorable, but it simply isn't. It's not a bad OST, but it's meh. Nothing that OST enthusiasts will go out of their way to buy or even listen to again. That said the last original OST that I heard was probably back in 2014.
I used to be a musician, so the score/soundtrack of movies is important to me too, although I don't remember the OST of Gladiator being so magnificent that I needed to rush out and buy it, like the scores of, say, Conan the Barbarian (82) and Last of the Mohicans.
And thanks for acknowledging that Beltrami's score for Ben-Hur is thoroughly effective, if not particularly exceptional. The next time I view the two movies I'll compare their scores.
As I said previously, thankfully the vast majority of people are in agreement that this movie is not a patch on Ben Hur.
The accolades of the critics & plebians is irrelevant to one's personal viewing experience. My wife & I saw both Gladiator and Ben-Hur on the big screen and we both felt that the latter was noticeably the superior overall viewing experience (and we're total opposites). That's the bottom line and nothing you can say can change that.
But I appreciate your taking the time to defend your position, my friend. I respect your viewpoint.
My 175 (or so) Favorite Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/
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angmc43
8 years ago
Ironically, I watched one of the GLADIATOR trailers back in the day and it used Poledourus' "Conan" Theme in its soundtrack. In terms of Scott's film, I preferred THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (That one had a good score too).
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Wuchakk
8 years ago
Thanks for the tip; I'll check that out (THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE).
If you haven't already, give 2001's "Attila" a try, as it deals with the Roman Empire's decline circa 430-453 AD. It's a TV production and comic booky, but quite good nevertheless.
My 175 (or so) Favorite Movies:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/
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