All style and no substance

Rating: 4/10 (1 July 2005)

Being a Classics student, I was looking forward to a modern adaptation of one of the texts I have studied, and eagerly awaited Troy's release. It appeared to have it all - beautiful scenery, strong warriors, and a fantastic and ancient story. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Although you can't deny the actors all look very pretty, and the battle scenes are well choreographed, I began to doubt the film within minutes of its opening.
To begin - the lack of gods. This is perhaps the film's biggest flaw. You may want to pick realism over fantasy, but the myth is not real, and as such, by taking out the gods all the characters' actions are meaningless. There's no reason for them being there. You could argue that the lack of gods allows focus on the warriors, but the warriors have their incentive to fight from the gods.
Second - the end. Obviously, the villain is Agamemnon in this story, and as such he has to be killed. This does however slightly contradict the fact that Agamemnon is killed by his wife Clytemnestra. And Helen in the myth does in fact return to her husband.
Of course, myths were constantly changed throughout time, with different spins for different purposes, but I feel that this production's complete and utter raping of the Iliad, which it dares to reference it as being the film's basis.
All in all, you may enjoy Troy for what it was, an unusual twist on an action film, or an excuse to see Brad Pitt's arse, but frankly, I left the cinema disappointed and frustrated with yet another Hollywood bastardisation of a classic. If you want something of any intellectual merit, then read the Iliad.