There Love Sank A Civilization

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2007)

The epic story of the siege of Troy, one of the oldest tales of the civilized world, was the basis for a return of the big budget sand and sandal epics of the Fifties and Sixties as the big studios were spending tons of money on films to make them bigger and better to compete with television. It's as spectacular as anything that Cecil B. DeMille did without the 19th century Victorian prose that his scripts were laced with. In fact it's better because DeMille did not have computer graphics available to him.
One of the criticisms I hear about the film was that it was not comprehensive enough in terms of telling the whole story. To tell this whole story would require a lengthy mini-series and this was made for the big screen. If a two hour and 40 minute version of the story constitutes a Reader's Digest version of same, than so be it. The basic parts were covered and the errors are purely in the interest of editing.
Brendon Gleeson is King Meneleus of Sparta and he has a lovely young trophy queen named Helen played by Diane Kruger. Paris the son of King Priam of Troy is on a diplomatic mission from his city state which is across the Aegean Sea and in what is now Turkey. Orlando Bloom as Paris who is a rather shallow and callow youth, takes one look at Helen and she him and the chemistry gets going. He sneaks her aboard the Trojan ship before word is out and she's in Troy before you can say cuckolded.
Of course Meneleus ain't taking this lying down and he gets together with the rulers of the other Greek city states and they put together a D-Day like invasion and the siege begins. Although you wouldn't know it from the film, it lasts 10 years and that's really the only fault of the film. But again it's in the interest of editing.
A lot of the success of the invasion depends on the legendary Greek warrior Achilles and his elite guard called the Myrmidons. Achilles is played by a bulked up Brad Pitt and it's one of his best performances. Although my favorite role of Pitt's is in Seven Years In Tibet, this one is cited by his many fans in saying that Brad's come of age as an actor and not just a pretty face.
The climax is the famous fight between Orlando Bloom's brother, Prince Hector of Troy and Achilles. Hector slew young Patroclus played by Garrett Hedlund who was in Achilles armor and Achilles is out for blood. It's a no quarter match when Achilles slays Hector and with it a lot of the hopes and dreams of Troy. Hector is played well by Eric Bana
My favorite scene is when King Priam goes out on the field to claim Hector's body and meets Achilles. Priam is played by Peter O'Toole and I'm surprised O'Toole did not get yet another Oscar nomination for Priam in the Supporting Actor category. Achilles the disillusioned warrior because he sees the greed and rapaciousness of the Greek kings and Priam the heartbroken but still proud ruler of Troy who has to see his duty through meet and gain a mutual respect for the other. This scene between Pitt and O'Toole is the best in the film by far.
Reading the ancient text by Homer, the Greek Gods play significant parts in the drama. Here they are acknowledged, but make no presence in the film. It's a most secular story indeed and is criticized by some for that reason, but I find no fault with it.
The best reason to see Troy is to awaken an appreciation of the classics, especially among the young. If this Reader's Digest version of Homer's epic, inspires someone to do just that, it will be well worth the budget.