Not bad, for what it is

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2004)

If you go to Troy expecting to see a true-to-the-book, true-to-history rendition of Homer's Illiad, you will be disappointed. The movie frequently deviates, sometimes egregiously, from Homer. If you go to the movie expecting to see The Trojan War, you will not be. Someone who doesn't know where the terms "achilles heel" and "Trojan horse" come from will probably enjoy the movie more than someone who does. The battle scenes are very well done (think Lord of the Rings style clashes of battle lines), the man-to-man fight between Achilles and Hector (though again, Troy here deviates from Homer) is an impressive display. Brad Pitt's achilles seems capable of one facial expression, a menacing pout, but he does manage to carry across Achilles' high-strung character, essential Greek desire (I believe the Greek word was kleos) to emblazon his name in posterity. Orlando Bloom captures Paris' vanity (I wonder why), and cowardice. Eric Bana shines as Hector. His character is
impossibly likable: a reluctant warrior, an honorable fighter, at heart a family man, a prince who cares more for his people than his own life. This noble Hector (who is indeed portrayed this way in Homer), combined with Brian Cox' nasty, self-important, and power-hungry Agamemnon, makes the view want to root for the doomed Trojans.
In all, the movie is not bad. The script is poor at times and two things key to the plot of the Trojan war are omitted: one is a scene in which a wily Greek convinces the Trojans to accept the horse; the other is the explanation of Achilles' love for Patroclus, which sends him on a rampage. In total though, the movie is pulled off. You leave the theater feeling like the movie, rather than just battering you, has also made you think. It's worth watching.
7/10