A convincing and compelling adaptation of the Iliad

Rating: 8/10 (24 April 2018)

I want to begin here by saying I have been watching this film for many years, so I have a degree of nostalgia when I watch it. I have also read the Iliad, and studied it extensively so I am familiar with its story and themes. It is with this in mind that I believe 14 years on that Troy is a film worth watching, if not for its complete accuracy to the tale it depicts, then for the compelling themes it explores.
Like all depictions of the Iliad tale, Troy begins with Paris whisking away Helen to the legendary city Troy, whereupon they are soon followed by the Greeks. War ensues, that the Trojans begin to win, but the death of Hector begins the final act of Troy's inevitable fall by Odysseus' Wooden Horse plan. The story is well known so the film, instead of leaving the story ambiguous, wisely establishes in the dialogue a sense of impending doom that has you hoping against the odds of history that the city might survive.
This is well done, and many of the finest actors of the film, with Peter O'Toole and Eric Bana playing Priam and Hector, adding weight to the inevitability of Troy's doom. All great stuff. This similarly purveys the vast battle sequences that thrill with their grandeur but provide enough gore, and are followed by compelling dialogue of war-weary warriors, that we get a feel of the senselessness of the fighting that strongly resembles Homer's storytelling. Odysseus' dialogue, skillfully delivered by Sean Bean, is particularly strong on this part, urging Achilles to stay in the fight so that the Greek soldiers can return home to their wives. Many lines throughout the film deplore the spilling of blood made necessary by the hubris of the Greek rulers.
Agamemnon is truly well portrayed by Brian Cox, who delivers an ego filled portrayal of a power-hungry King who refuses to be in the wrong when he argues with Achilles. Similarly Menelaus delivers a chilling line of how he wants Helen back "so I can killer myself with my bare hands" landing home how these leading Greeks are only here to rent their ego and enhance their power. It is a chilling commentary in a way on the shortfalls of masculinity and how wars are so often led by men who care only for their own power and image. This is especially why Troy is so close to Homer's prose, because these moments really capture Homer's critique of the senseless, barbaric Trojan War.
The music of James Horner also adds to this sense of sorrow and anguish, as his score slowly declines from the grand horns of Achilles' early theme to the wails of female vocalists. The music during Troy's sacking is especially humbling, as the anguished trumpets that blare reinforce a horror in the audience as Troy burns on screen.
However, this is by no means an entirely successful film. Brad Pitt's portrayal of Achilles is unfortunately bereft of subtlety, as he fluctuates between the face of a hero and of an angry maniac. I did not really enjoy Homer's Achilles either, mainly because he is described as a man prone to sulking, consumed by his own self importance, Pitt's depiction fails to incite any compassion for his point of view. His story arc involves falling in love to reveal his human side, but Pitt fails to compellingly show his humanity in any other way than killing Agamemnon's followers rather than Trojans, which isn't really a great way to show character development. Paris similarly is displayed with a low range of emotions by Orlando Bloom, but as he appears less, and is less vital to much of the middle section of the film, I haven't really got much I can say about him.
This last part is a shame because Peter O'Toole gives an astounding performance as Priam, and Eric Bana delivers a wonderful act as the tragic hero of the story. There are many great performances in this film, and the script is generally quite good, but it doesn't quite reach its highest levels because Achilles and Paris, very key characters in the story, fail to provide any impact in the audience in either their actions in the story or their fairly bland portrayals.
Nevertheless, the themes portrayed, the visuals and many other great performances (James Cosmo as a Trojan general is a special delight!) makes this a film worth watching, and worth enjoying. I recommend it, but am disappointed that it could have been so much more.