As the 1st century Judean governor who sentenced Jesus Christ to death, Pontius Pilate has perhaps understandably become one of cinema’s most enigmatic roles. Selecting an actor to portray him is a carte blanche casting choice.
Like James Bond’s Felix Leiter and the Devil himself, an eclectic range of actors have portrayed him over the years, from the likes of British actors Hugh Bonneville, Gary Oldman, and Michael Palin to Americans Harvey Keitel and Rod Steiger – and even David Bowie.
READ MORE: Yet another Dane in ‘Game of Thrones’
No stopping this kid, or is there?
So, it was yet another boost to the rapidly rising star of Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyjoy in ‘Game of Thrones’) when he landed the role in this year’s biggest remake, ‘Ben-Hur’, which has just been released in the US ahead of a September 1 opening in Denmark.
Sadly for Asbæk, the reviews haven’t been kind so far – to the film, which has scored a meagre 42 on Metacritic, or the 34-year-old Danish actor.
Too square, not rugged
Entertainment Weekly found Asbæk “so square compared to past Pilates Gary Oldman and David Bowie”, while Empire magazine suggested he was “aiming for the ruggedness of Russell Crowe but ending up closer to Pacey Witter” – the other lead male character in ‘Dawson’s Creek’. Ouch!
Overall, the media have concluded the remake isn’t worthy of William Wyler’s 1959 epic ‘Ben-Hur’ and given a big thumbs down to the film’s action sequences, with the Hollywood Reporter describing its ten-minute chariot scene as “incompetent and incoherent”.
