Best movie in years...

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2004)

Warning: Spoilers contained below!
Troy is one of those movies that comes along once every five or ten years, that has everything that you could want in an epic, and more. It stays remarkably true to the Iliad for historical accuracy, especially for a Hollywood film (the cameo by Aneas was great).
The cast, special effects, dialogue, and sets were perfect. When I heard that Bradd Pitt was playing Achilles, I'll admit that I winced a little (he's not a bad actor, but I just didn't see him as Achilles). He end up pulling the role off beautifully, though, as does every other actor in the film. Peter O'Toole's (Priam) look when the city is burning is priceless. And besides, it's got Brendan Gleeson in it! What more could you want?
The special effects look great, but they aren't overdone. The Trojan counterattack was one of the best special effects sequences that I have ever seen; very flashy, and very original. The fight scenes are perfect for the movie. They look about 90% realistic, with a few unbelievable actions. This actually is a plus towards painting the characters as larger-than-life heroes.
As far as dialogue, this is the first time in a long time that I have seen a movie with quality writing like this. Witty arguments are strewn throughout the movie, and not a one is cheesy or cliché. Major kudos to Benioff for this. IMHO, he deserves an Oscar.
Finally, the sets were incredible. The walls of troy really conveyed a sense of grandeur to the whole movie. The Trojan horse was also very well done. It really looked improvised by the Greeks, and yet they managed to give it a slightly sinister look.
I fully recommend seeing this movie before it leaves the big screen. You won't regret it. I plan on seeing it at least one more time. Ten stars out of ten.