Sci-fi action thinker guy says: epic but not overblown

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2004)

Troy has a lot in common with Lord of the Rings in that it's an epic saga. A lot happens in the film. Characters are allowed to become dirty. They get scratched up and they're allowed to get scars. There's a certain realism throughout the film which makes it easier to identify with the characters. Horrible but not too violent. True to life but accessible to me. I was expecting it to be a little corny but it wasn't. Instead I was captivated by how similar people were thousands of years ago to today.
Unlike LOTR, however, the big battle scenes are done even better. In LOTR there was so much mass combat (similar to the end fight in Star Wars II) that I simply couldn't take it all in. And it's difficult to identify with a mob. Troy keeps it personal. In the big battle scenes we're usually following one of the main characters.
Similar to Thirteen Days, every scene is careful to state the characters goals and the reasons behind all the tension. So despite all the intrige I found the film easy to follow. Great acting, especially great costuming and sets. Fantastic. Most of the scenes weren't overly melodramatic... except Orlando Bloom's scenes, the only negative aspect of Troy I can think of. The chemistry of his character's various passions didn't work for me.
Who should see this film:
-- Action film buffs, you'll be fine even if you don't pay attention to the plot
-- Drama buffs, this one's better than Gladiator.
-- Anyone curious about Greek history, this one's worth your time.
I'll give Troy a perfect 10 out of 10, sort of a bonus 9.