Troy Review

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta, who is kidnapped by her lover Paris (Orlando Bloom), the prince of Troy. This infuriates Helen's husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) convinces him to invade Troy. They recruit Achilles (Brad Pitt), the best warrior in Greece, whose bravery, quick feet, and remarkable swordsmanship (not to mention tanned biceps, short kilts, and blond locks) have earned him a reputation that is almost as impressive as his ego. Achilles agrees to fight for Sparta, if only for the fame it will bring him. Even Achilles's mother, in a touching scene, advises him to forget mortal achievements and become a hero who will be remembered throughout history. Along with the invasion of Troy, a series of duels must also be fought: Paris, who is heartbreaking in his lovestruck naiveté, must go up against the enraged Menelaus, and Achilles must settle a score with Hector (Eric Bana), who is fiercely dedicated to protecting his brother Paris and their father, the frail king Priam (Peter O'Toole). When the war finally ignites in its massive proportions, the action is awesome. And as the increasingly dramatic events play out, TROY earns its own timeless reputation among other action-adventure epics such as GLADIATOR and SPARTACUS.

Credits
Producer: Colin Wilson, Diana Rathbun, Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole, Rose Byrne, Saffron Burrows


THEATRICAL RELEASE: MAY 14, 2004

Editorial reviews
"[T]remendously entertaining....Peterson rips and roars through the tale..."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (05/27/2004)

"[With] crisply edited combat sequences, tableaus of antique splendor, [and] a hugely muscled Brad Pitt modeling the latest in Hellenic leisure wear..."
New York Times - A. O. Scott (05/14/2004)

"[T]his latest interpretation of Homer's classic tale is entertainingly epic eye candy."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (05/14/2004)

"Sean Bean's Odysseus is resourceful and driven..."
Uncut - Michael Bonner (07/01/2004)

"The costuming and production design are handsome..."
Sight and Sound - Richard Kelly (07/01/2004)

"A brilliantly told story."
Premiere - Sara Brady

"An action spectacle of weight, splendor and vast entertainment value"
New York Observer - Rex Reed

"Stunning. Raging excitement, visual grandeur and dramatic intelligence."
Chicago Tribune - Michael Wilmington

"The film is enormous and awe-inspiring"
Associated Press - Christy Lemire

Troy!

I absolutely love this movie. I was lucky enough to be able to see this when it was in theaters, and it was amazing on a large screen. I have since then also purchased the movie for my collection, it's just a must have.

This movie is about the classic Greek legend of Achilles. It tells the story of the fight between the Trojans and Spartans that starts over just one woman, Helen the Queen of Sparta. Paris, one of the princes of Troy, takes Helen along with him back to Troy. This infuriates King Menelaus, and his brother Agamemnon convinces him to go to war with Troy and kill Helen. They recruite Achilles, who is the best warrior in Greece. Achilles agrees because he wants the fame that will come out of it, he wants to be known throughout history as a hero. There are a few duals, as well as some bloody fights in this war. There is a fight for love between Paris and Menelaus. There is also a fight between Hector and Achilles. The action in this movie is incredibly done. Very impressive.

The cast is amazing as well, it includes: Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, Sean Bean, Peter O'Toole, and Brendan Gleeson.

Troy Revisited

No doubt about it, the 196-minute unrated director's cut of Troy represents a significant improvement over the film's original 162-minute theatrical release--and not just because it has more sex and violence. As director Wolfgang Petersen notes in his new "Troy Revisited" video introduction to this 2-disc special edition, he didn't have the time or directorial discretion (prior to Troy's release in 2004) to present a cut that more closely matched his vision for the film. Three years later, Petersen approached the film with a more relaxed perspective, and the result is a well-crafted expansion on a film that was previously underrated, with 30 minutes of previously unseen material. Character dynamics have been improved and intensified; the epic-scale narrative is now easier to follow, with greater emphasis on the inner turmoil of Achilles (well played by Brad Pitt) and his rivalry with Hector (Eric Bana); and viewers will feel a more satisfying escalation of tension and suspense from battle to battle. The film's enormous battle scenes (impressively enhanced with CGI) are bloodier and gorier, but they're also more effectively integrated into the political story, which goes beyond Homer's The Iliad and the death of Hector to incorporate elements of Virgil and a more revealing study of the differences between Trojan king Priam (Peter O'Toole) and his megalomanical Greek rival, king Agamemnon (Brian Cox), whose lust for revenge is now one of the film's most powerful ingredients. This new director's cut easily improves story and tone, making this not only a grand epic, but one with a an all around well told story. Must See!

Troy Brad Pitt

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta.

Brad Pitt is Front and Center

Although not entirely faithful to the Iliad (the movie notes "inspired by"), Brad Pitt is the definitive star and shines in his portrayal of Achilles. His fans will find everything to like: plenty of closeups on his pretty face showing grim determination, suppressed sadness, hollow-eyed surprise, etc., plenty of skin showing his buff body, plenty of action highlighting his graceful run, spear-throwing arm, etc. Stalwarts like Brian Cox, Peter O'Toole and Sean Bean give solid performances as well. There's nothing better than respected English actors to lend weight to a sword-and-sandal epic.
Eric Bana is the only "newcomer" with any grit, however. The rest of the younger set (Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, Saffron Burrows) is pale and limited in range in comparison to the seasoned actors. Their scenes together slows the action considerably.
Filmed in Malta and Mexico, the setting is panoramic and majestic, worthy of Cecil B. DeMille.
All in all a satisfying movie for those willing to enjoy a good epic without too many requirements of literal translation to the screen.