Mediocre at best

Rating: 5/10 (2 October 2008)

Now I'm fully aware that most film adaptations cannot relay all the themes and as a result, never truly live up to the book. However this one is something else!!! Best I can describe Troy is that it's a bastardised version of the Iliad. It's puzzling why they even tried to squeeze the epic into a feature length film in the first place. Hopefully we'll see the Iliad made into a great series one day, as all films and mini-series thus far have been major disappointments.
However the film does have some redeeming features despite it's many floors. But for starters (I do apologise) I'm going to rant about the things I really hate about this film first just to vent my disappointment!!! I don't want to spoil the plot for you if you haven't yet seen the film so instead I'm going to mention some of the great things that never made it in from the Iliad.
***this section contains some plot clues and spoilers***
First off, Menelaus! The character is completely different from Homer's original epic, to the point which makes me want to cry... for those who have read the Iliad, one of the greatest moments for me was when Menelaus fights like a lion standing guard other Patroclus' lifeless body. And other moments when he's shown to be honourable, like during the duel with Paris and saying he would rather leave Helen than risk the lives of so many of the Argives.
Also Telamonian Ajax, his character butchered with poor casting and a premature death at the hands of hector. What about when he rescues Achilles' body from the Trojans!!!
Another potentially great role hampered by poor scripting and bad casting was Nestor (which should have been Anthony Hopkins) and Diomedes and his 'Aristeia' that never made it. Not to mention Achilles never lived to see the wooden horse built let alone use it to infiltrate Troy/Ilium. Don't get me started on Orlando Bloom!!!
Yet despite all this Troy has its moments and some good performances and cast choice. Pitt as Achilles was the good obvious choice as with Bana as Hector. The rest of the cast did the job... The Myrmidon beach landing was quite entertaining and their armour was stylist if a little too fantasy inspired for my tastes.
I didn't really want to put people off as the film was reasonably entertaining. Just felt like I needed a rant, being a bit of a purist having loved studying Homer's Epics and other Greek tragedies.