A Magnificent Spectacle!

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2009)

How anyone can call this film boring is beyond me. I question their sanity. How can you call a film based on a poem or two, a myth, inaccurate? Isn't a myth something blown way out of proportion? Which story/film of Robin Hood is accurate? Or King Arthur? Rasputin? A lot of talent, hard work, and yes research, was put into this film and it shows on the screen. The director's cut adds even more detail and character development to this excellent film. The cinematography is stunning, the art direction, sets, props, costuming and makeup effects dazzle the viewer and the music score adds emotion to the proceedings. I especially liked the idea of building the Trojan Horse out of destroyed ship parts. It actually makes sense; where else would they find the materials. The director's cut shows more of the carnage than the theatrical print and not gratuitously, but to depict the ugliness of war. Other details included the preparations in Troy for oncoming war, the care of the wounded, the burial of the dead and the unusual style of fighting using leaps, dives and backhanded sword slashing of the greatest warrior, Achilles. The direction is well paced, the dialog perfection, the acting by the entire cast superb, top-notch. The prologue explains that the film is "based" on the Odyssey. What more does one want? I expect that some reviewers here would be bored by the creation of the Universe or the Apocalypse.