Totally underrated by ignorant people and critics.

Rating: 10/10 (10 November 2008)

Sorry if the title sounds offensive, but that's how it is. This movie was blasted because some ignorant people and VERY ignorant critics decided it wasn't "faithful enough" to the Iliad. I didn't see anyone complaining about how Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy deviates from Tolkien's work. Talk about double standards.
Quick and to the point: The city of Troy existed historically and was destroyed. The only account we have of one of the times Troy was destroyed (because it was destroyed a dozen times), is Homer's Iliad. So the filmmakers used it as a source material, yes. And then, they tried to make the story real, they tried to make a version of how things would have happened without Zeus, Hera or Apollo waltzing around the scene. They tried to make the story both realistic and epic. And you know what? They did an immensely impressive job at it.
Once the direct intervention of gods is out, they pretty much respected Homer's telling. Let's have a look at Homer's character development there:
1. Achilles the cocky show-off extraordinaire. Check. 2. Achilles in love with his Patroclus. Uncheck, it's Hollywood, not possible. 3. Achilles in lust with slave girl Briseis. Check. 4. Paris a wimp. Check. 5. Agamemnon proud, ambitious and dictatorial. Check. 6. Priam stupid, overconfident or unwilling to see what's coming. Check. 7. Hector the most courageous, noble, character. Faithful husband, loving father (Homer described him that way). Whoa, check. Special mention to Sean Bean's impressive acting. 8. Andromacha, Hector's wife, model of loyal wife and mother (yep, Homer also portrays her that way). Check. 9. Ajax a brute force fighter. Check.
I don't think it makes much sense to go on with this. I just find it ridiculous that many people who either haven't read Homer, or just have read the Cliff's Notes for the Iliad, are attacking the movie on its supposed inaccuracy. The inaccuracies are extremely few, and the huge ones were obviously done PURPOSEFULLY. The filmmakers wanted a version of the War of Troy as it could have happened in reality, without gods directly meddling in the action. But the character depth and development, greatly respects Homer's writing and style. Even in the play-down of homosexual themes and the better treatment of female characters, since that's what Homer does in his works. He treats women far better than most Greeks used to do, and doesn't focus much on homosexual themes (though they are there... however, I guess you can't ask Hollywood to put that into a super-production, much less with Brad Pitt on it).
The photography, settings and film-making are impressive. The action scenes are great, with the plus of them not being blurred. You can actually see what's happening, something rare in action scenes of late.
I must add the lightning and photography are extremely beautiful. The soundtrack is more than impressive. Some of the dialog is amazing.
The acting is good when given to good actors. Menelaus, Agamemnon, Ajax, Priam, Ulises, Andromacha, and above all, Hector and Priam, fill the screen when they speak.
Brad Pitt looks great when he fights. He looks ridiculous when he tries to act. At least, when he tries to act seriously and tragically. He plays the pimp-esquire guy pretty believable. It's when he tries to get serious that you don't believe him.
Orlando Bloom makes an über-wimp Paris. But then Paris should be a coward wimp, that's what he was in the myth too.
Helen is very beautiful, but she seems to have Schweppes tonic in her veins instead of blood. Her character was indeed changed from what it is in the book. In the Iliad, Helen is a tragic figure, forced to desire Paris because goddess Aphrodite gave her (yes, gave her as an object) to Paris. When Paris starts behaving as the coward, irresponsible wimp he is, Helen despises her. In the book, of course. If you get Aphrodite's orders out of the question (as happens in the movie), Helen is a blond airhead with no interest at all, just as wimpy and ridiculous as Paris. But then again, without Aphrodite's meddling, there was no way to make Helen the tragic figure she is in the book. Helen's flee with Paris is more understandable by watching Menelaus.
I don't think the movie deserves a 10, I would have given it just a nine for entertainment, epic, good acting and beautiful imagery. But considering its score is artificially lowered by totally unfair reviews, I've upped my score to a 10, just to compensate.
This movie has been treated unfairly by both critics and reviewers. It deserved and deserves better.