An Underrated Epic

Rating: 9/10 (20 April 2009)

I have heard such terrible things about this movie, primarily from my family. Although the 2000 epic Gladiator staring Russell Crowe very obviously paved the way for Troy, I found this movie to be entertaining and original.. Not being fond of Brad Pitt as an actor (or in general) I had my doubts regarding his ability to portray such a character. My views on him have changed and I am convinced that he is one of the greatest actors of the time. Pitt was able to portray a large array of emotions during his performance. When Achilles(Brad Pitt) and Briseis(Rose Byrne) are first shown on screen together the audience sees a romance beginning to emerge. Their conversation, to be frank, was quite sweet and made me smile. The two lovers haven't many scenes together but the few they do share are worth remembering. Eric Bana played his role of Prince Hector quite capably and also deserves recognition. My heart went out to him when he said farewell to his wife for the final time.
The scenes of romance blended well into the movie. The battle sequences as well as the special effects are absolutely fantastic. About fifteen minutes into the movie the viewer is presented with a scene of ships sailing across the Aagean Sea. After watching the special features it is revealed that many of those ships are computer generated. You could have fooled me. In spite of this movie not being at all historically accurate the overall plot is intriguing and kept me thoroughly entertained. Because there is no such thing as a perfect movie I give Troy 9/10 stars. Good job to Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and Rose Byrne for three stunning performances. This movie is underrated and does not receive the praise deserved.