$160 Million Does Not Buy What It Used To

Rating: 5/10 (30 May 2004)

I wonder if anyone bothered to read the script before doling out $160 Million for this mistake? Actually, the script keeps things moving at a decent pace but the dialog is the worst since Gigli and at times is laughably bad.
For $160 million I expected it to look like a cost-no-object spectacle but instead it ends up looking like they were trying to cut corners. The cast is mostly second rate. Brad Pitt looks more like Goldielocks or a surfer boy than a savage warrior. Although he might look good on a magazine cover, he cannot carry a movie. Peter O'Toole is the only one that comes out with his reputation intact but his good performance makes everyone else look worse in perspective.
The music is by James Horner, who is the person studios turn to when they cannot afford John Williams. When John Williams does a score, it sticks in your mind long after the film is over. I cannot remember any of the music from Troy.
Wolfgang Petersen had never had a really big hit before and his directing style is pretty mediocre. The photography is okay but nothing special. This comes off looking like a fairly low budget movie. I cannot tell where they spent all the money.
This was a major disappointment but it was still watchable. 5/10.