Los Angeles (CNN) For those unfamiliar with "Ben-Hur" -- or who only remember that it involves a chariot race and Jesus -- a new scaled-down movie version might be deemed harmless. Anyone hoping to find something even remotely worthy of the 1959 epic that won 11 Oscars, on the other hand, is advised to steer clear. The net result is a movie that, even with moments of cinematic, computer-generated splendor, feels like a Hallmark Channel remake of a theatrical classic. The film actually opens by teasing the climactic race (also splashed across its billboard ads), flashing back eight years to fill in what brought the combatants to the starting line. That introduces Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), the privileged son of a wealthy Jewish family in Jerusalem; and his adopted Roman brother Messala (Tony Kebbell, who, as bad-guy roles go, also played Dr. Doom in the forgettable "Fantastic Four" reboot).

Source: CNN August 18, 2016 18:56 UTC