A new interpretation of the classic Lew Wallace novel, Ben-Hur is an epic tale of adventure. Two adopted brothers become bitter rivals when one joins the Roman army and is tasked with rooting out rebels in Jerusalem, leading him to sentence his brother to the life of a slave when he’s discovered to have harbored a would-be rebel assassin. The performances are pretty good and the production values are extraordinarily well-done, creating an authentic look and feel for the time period. The special effects in particular do an incredible job at creating dynamic action sequences; such as the naval battles and chariot races. But the writing falls short and doesn’t take the time to develop the characters or the story all that well. Yet despite its shortcomings, Ben-Hur is an entertaining film with a powerful message about forgiveness and letting go of hate.