Troy

Rating: 7/10 (14 April 2012)

This is a review of the film Troy, which was released in 2004. It is directed by Wolfgang Petterson and written by David Benioff, and based on the Iliad by Homer. King Agamemnon (Brian Cox) is ruler of Mycenea, but wishes to rule an empire, so his army slowly conquers the rest of what is now Greece. The only threat to his empire is a neighbouring country called Troy. Agamemnon's brother Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) is tired of war, so he negotiate's peace with the Trojan princes Hector (Eric Bana) and Paris (Orlando Bloom). Upon leaving, Paris reveals to Hector that he has taken Menelaus's wife, Helen (Diane Kruger) with him, as he loves her. Menelaus goes to Agamemnom to start a war, and Agamemnom manages to convince legendary warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt) to fight among the Greek army. Hector and Paris arrive in Troy, and tell their father Priam (Peter O'Toole) of the upcoming war. Agamemnom arrives on the beaches of Troy with 1,000 ships, but after day 1, Achilles refuses to fight, and instead cares to Trojan prisoner Briseis (Rose Byrne). Over the next two battles Hector kills Menelaus, Ajax (who is the Greek's best warrior after Achilles), and Achilles's cousin, Patroclus, and finally Achilles decides to don his armour and face Hector in a duel to the death. Achilles wins and kills Hector but makes a pact with Priam to allow the Trojans 12 days of peace. After 12 days, Priam and his men ride out to find the Trojan horse, and all the Greeks gone. Priam orders the horse to be brought into the city of Troy. That night, Odysseus (Sean Bean) and his men escape form the horse, and open the gates and allow Agamemnon and all of his thousands of men in. Achilles also escapes from the horse, and goes to find Briseis. in the confusion, Priam is killed by Agamemnon, who is in turn killed by Briseis, and as Achilles escapes for a new life with her, Paris shoots him through the ankle and he dies. While all three of leads have both good points and flaws, it is Peter O'Toole and Julie Christie in small supporting roles that, as per usual, put in the best performances. Brian Cox seems to ham it up to much, but Brendan Gleeson and Sean Bean do well enough with the bland characters they are given. The fight scenes are great, although some of the close combat tactics used by Achilles are all but impossible. The more rough style used by Hector of Ajax feels more realistic, but the duel between Hector and Achilles is the best scene of the film.