MovieChat Forums > Ben Hur (2010) Discussion > Rushed and Peculiar Ending

Rushed and Peculiar Ending

posted 12 years ago by SharonTheHarper
2 replies | jump to latest

Saw this on TV yesterday where it was shown as a one-er and really enjoyed it.

But how they ended it was utterly bizarre - Judah forgives Massalla then it's the next morning, Judah's mother and sister are suddenly cured of leprosy for no apparent reason (not, as I was expecting, by the touch of Jesus)there were all these 'glory of heaven' type visuals and so on but no reference to why and then roll end credits!

I've not read the original book by Lew Wallace (must get round to that), but neither of the previous film versions end so abruptly or inexplicably.

I actually let out a little bit of wee....

[–] troppe 12 years ago

Forget you saw this and buy the 1959 masterpiece !

[–] mnbush 11 years ago

Somewhere in writing the screenplay and directing this film, a decision was made about how to handle Jesus' role. The ending in this version is very confusing if you haven't seen another version first. And this should not be the case in a good film.

Without showing Jesus on the cross and his death, the storm and then the light that shines on Judah and Ester and then cures his mother and sister, the ending has defeated the meaning of the entire novel.

Additionally, the few times Jesus speaks he says the same thing, "forgive them for they know not what they do." This is traditionally the last thing he says before dying on the cross. Not here, and he actually says the same thing twice (or more if you count the flashbacks, and this is all he that he says. Isn't there a book full of good quotes from him they could have used?

Jesus played a small but very important role in this story and it has been altered so that it makes the message confusing.