trying just that little bit too hard . . . .

Rating: Null/10 (24 June 2004)

Whilst I've always liked the story, I've never really liked the Iliad. It's so easy to get bogged down in all the 'mighty voices' and it reads like a series of small fights between lots of different characters. I've always preferred the Odyssey, it has so much more story. That said, it's easy to see why Hollywood wanted to make a film of this. It has flawed heroes, romance, tragedy and more importantly lots and lots of violence. The continual appearance of a nearly naked Brad Pitt doesn't do it any harm either. The trouble for me was, it seemed to be trying too hard to be everything. As an action/battle film, it was superb. Cast of thousands, authentic looking fights and weapons, lots of blood . . . . but it was trying to be an epic romance as well, which I really struggled with, especially given that romance does not figure too strongly in the text. I also struggled with their attempts to portray strong women - Briseis in particular. Her redemption of Achilles was just a little difficult to swallow - especially given that I'm pretty sure that Homer's version has him cutting her throat on Patrocles' memorial. I also struggled with te happy ending element of the film too - As any scholar will no, Troy does not continue to survive with the sword, and Hector's child is doomed to be viciously murdered, rather than escaping to Mount Ida.
That said, I really did enjoy this film, although it felt a long one. Brad Pitt's portrayal of Achilles as a tortured hero was sheer poetry, even if it didn't fit with my own view of the petulant, egotistical maniac of Homer. Peter O Toole was devastatingly good as Priam and Eric Bana was a perfect Hector, one of the few characters, along with Odysseus, remaining true to the spirit of the text. Orlando Bloom made a pretty Paris, but the inclusion of his archery rankled with me - it was jarring reminder of his role in LOTR and really spoiled the suspension of disbelief.
Troy will probably go down as one of the classics, and it is a great film. But ultimately, it butchered Homer's story too much for me to take it seriously.