Actually a pretty good movie...

Rating: 7/10 (12 August 2008)

While I have not read the actual Iliad, I do love mythology as a whole and have read several different versions of the story of the Trojan War. This film captures the essence of the conflict, and the script and cinematography are excellent. I disagree with some changes made (eg. the deaths of Menelaus and Agammemnon, both of whom survived the war) although I realise that it would be a somewhat depressing film if all the deaths in the myths were shown on screen.
The film is mostly very well-cast, although there is not really that much chemistry between Kruger's Helen and Bloom's Paris. Peter O'Toole, Brian Cox and Brendan Gleeson all give wonderful performances. Brad Pitt brings the right balance of tortured soul/arrogant warrior to the role of Achilles, but it is Eric Bana, as Hector, who is the real star of the movie in my mind. I always liked the character of Hector in the myths - Troy's answer to Achilles in terms of fighting prowess, but without some of Achilles' flaws. I also have a certain soft spot for Sean Bean as Odysseus, partly because I really like Sean Bean and think he is really good in this film, but also because Odysseus is my favourite character in Greek mythology - brave, highly intelligent, rather cunning, and with a healthy dose of common sense.
One thing I do not like as much is how short this film makes the Trojan War seem. Most of the myths agree that the war lasted longer than the few weeks suggested in the movie - it took them quite some time to make landfall on the Trojan shore to start with. Also, in many of the stories it is suggested that Achilles' son, born before that warrior left Skyros, was able to join in the war after his father's death (which did not take place on the night Troy fell), even though he was only about 10 years old.
Aside from that, the film is very enjoyable, the battle scenes brilliantly filmed, the sense of time, of antiquity, excellently conveyed. Taken overall, this is actually quite a good movie.
(If this film inspires an interest in the Trojan War, try reading Lindsay Clarke's The War at Troy and The Return from Troy. These are very detailed accounts and the second one covers more of the aftermath of the war than the Odyssey.)