3.5 stars

Rating: Null/10 (16 May 2004)

First of all, there are no 'gods' in Troy so don't expect them. The story is quite good without them however, if you can just say 'cinematic license' and get over it. Brad Pitt does a credible job as a sensitive Achilles, but also an Achilles that knows that what's most important to him is glory and renown. The young boy that plays Patroclus (in the film he is Achilles cousin, not his lover) is very good and looks enough like Pitt that you believe they are related. Of course, He is, along with Achilles and Helen, one of only 3 blonde-haired people in the movie! Brad is beautifully buffed and we get to see most of that, so if you are female that is very good.
Sean Bean (Boromir from Fellowship of the Ring) does a nice job as Odysseus, even if his hair looks too modern and his heavy Yorkshire accent is distracting.
Helen -- oh dear, she can't act and her accent slips into heavy German rather than the cultured British it's supposed to be more times than not!
Eric Bana does a spectacular Hector and Peter O'Toole - well, even at his advanced age, he is still Peter O'Toole, brilliant as Priam and heart wrenching in a scene where he pleas for Achilles to let him bring Hector back inside the walls of Troy for a proper burial. I admit I cried and I was pleased with the way Achilles seemed to admire and even fear this frail old man, while knowing that he could kill him with one blow. O'Toole is worth seeing.
Orlando Bloom... since I loved him in Lord of the Rings, it wrenches my heart to say that in 'Troy' his facial expressions were horribly over acted. Did the director not view the rushes? If so, he should have told Bloom to turn it down, especially during some of his scenes with Helen. I was also not prepared to see him clinging to Hector's knees begging for life after running away from a hand to hand combat with Menelaus! To be honest, this Paris is a selfish, spoilt little rich prince who has been coddled by his family and knows nothing about courage or honor. It makes one wonder at Helen choosing him at all - even if he is very beautiful. Yes, Bloom looks pretty, who could deny that? But he has much to learn about acting. His saving graces for me seemed to be the opening body shot with Helen where we get to see him standing next to the bed, near naked and damp with sweat, and when he finally takes up a bow and arrow and reminds me of Legolas. It seems he's retained his archery skills from Lord of the Rings - a perfect stance, a beautiful pull to the corner of his mouth and a deadly release... but all that only serves to make you wonder why Paris couldn't use any other weapon well and why, when his brother and countrymen were going to war over his folly - he wasn't obliged to fight.
Worth seeing once at a matinee price - if only for the gorgeous choreographed battle with Pitt and Bana, the marvelous acting of O'Toole, and the scantily clad man-flesh. If none of these appeal to you, wait for the DVD.