AVS Discussions
Movie and TV Discussion => Movie reviews => Topic started by: David Vaughn on February 19, 2026, 07:47:07 PM
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(https://i.imgur.com/trRdvUv.jpeg)
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: February 17, 2026
Rating: G
Film: 4.5/5
Plot
Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a wealthy Jew born in the time of Christ, is betrayed by his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) who commands the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. When he refuses to reveal the names of Jewish dissidents in the city, he's sent to the gallows as a slave and his mother and sister are imprisoned. Fortunately for our hero, he saves the life of a Roman admiral and gains his freedom and returns to Palestine in order to free his family and seeks revenge on his backstabbing "friend."
My Thoughts
When people say "they don't make them like they used to," films such as Gone with the Wind, The Ten Commandments, and Ben-Hur immediately come to mind. Before the advent of CGI, studios had to construct vast sets and clothe thousands of extras to produce an epic tale. At the time of its 1959 release, Ben-Hur was the most expensive movie ever made ($15 million) and featured over 400 speaking parts, 300 sets, and 10,000 extras.
The film remains a mesmerizing achievement, having earned 11 Oscars (including Best Picture, Director, and Actor) through sheer craftsmanship and emotional power. Charlton Heston’s performance as Judah was career-defining as he balances righteous anger, quiet dignity, and spiritual awakening with conviction. Stephen Boyd’s Messala is a unforgettable antagonist while the supporting cast (Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, and Hugh Griffith) brings depth to every role.
The chariot race remains one of cinema’s greatest action sequences, filmed with real horses and thousands of extras in a fantastic display of practical filmmaking. The galley battle, the crucifixion scenes, and the sweeping cinematography (2.76:1 AR) by Robert Surtees all contribute to a timeless film.
At 227 minutes, it's a big time commitment but it never feels bloated with every scene serving the story. The religious themes are handled well without being preachy, and Miklós Rózsa’s score is one of the all-time greats (it was one of the 11 Oscar wins).
The film received an 8K scan back in 2011 but Warner decided to give the classic another scan using modern equipment and technology and as good as the 2011 Blu-ray looked, this is just so much better. It helps that the original cinematography was shot on 65mm Ultra Panavision 70 filmstock, which translates well to 8K. It’s hard to believe this is a nearly 70-year-old film because the detail is off the charts with staggering clarity in every scene, particularly in the marble of Roman palaces and the revealing facial pores. Colors are rich and accurate with the deep reds of Roman banners to the golden sands of the arena. Blacks are inky, especially in night scenes and the bright highlights of the sunlit arenas show how good HDR can look. Given the film’s roots, there is film grain throughout, but it’s not distracting in any way. The film uses 166GB worth of storage spread over two discs, so there’s plenty of bitrate to make it shine, and boy does it.
Audio is presented in two flavors, a brand new Dolby Atmos track as well as the legacy DTS-HD MA 5.1 track found on the previously released Blu-ray. Both tracks on the film’s original six-channel stero elements and quite honestly, you can’t go wrong with either one. The Atmos track does expand the soundstage overhead giving you a greater “being there” atmosphere. Rózsa’s Oscar-winning score swells with power, and the surrounds bring the crowd roars to life. The only knock I have on the audio is it lacks the dynamic range of a moder mix, but the Atmos track effectively expands the soundstage for a 1959 film and captures the magic of a Hollywood classic.
Video 10/10
Audio 9/10 (Dolby Atmos)
Special Features:
- Legacy Audio Commentary by T. Gene Hatcher & Charlton Heston
- Isolated Score Audio Track
- Two New Retrospective Featurettes:
- Ben-Hur: Anatomy of an Epic
- The Cinematography of Scale
- Charlton Heston & Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey
- Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic
- Ben-Hur: A Journey Through Pictures
- Screen Tests
- UHD + Digital Code
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR1ZHKw09n8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR1ZHKw09n8)
Conclusion
With reference-quality video that makes every frame look like it was shot yesterday and a solid audio presentation, the film remains a monumental achievement in Hollywood history. If you love cinema or want to experience one of Hollywood’s greatest spectacle films at home, this is a must-have for your collection. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized Portrait Displays' (https://www.portrait.com/) Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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Great review! I still haven't opened my Blu-ray copy, so it may be time to skip right to the 4K.
It's been decades since first seeing this, so it will be interesting to see it with an older perspecitve.
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Another great review. I got my copy on Tuesday. I hear that the chariot races will be an Olympic event in 2026.
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Great review! I still haven't opened my Blu-ray copy, so it may be time to skip right to the 4K.
It's been decades since first seeing this, so it will be interesting to see it with an older perspecitve.
I reviewed the Blu-ray for the magazine years ago and did a deep dive on the production and actually watched all of the bonus features (something I rarely do unless I really like the movie). I was able to draw upon that review for this one, which made it a bit easier to write, but it still took me over an hour to write this one up. Classic films deserve a little extra love :D
I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on it. I was blown away by the video thinking they'd be hard-pressed to improve the already stellar-looking Blu-ray---glad I was wrong.
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Another great review. I got my copy on Tuesday. I hear that the chariot races will be an Olympic event in 2026.
Thanks Barry. Now that would be an Olympic event I could tune into :)