Troy relishes in lavish epic battles and set pieces but has all the depth of blood-soaked sand.

Rating: 6/10 (28 June 2018)

Having seen the theatrical version, I thought to give the director's cut an opportunity at winning me over. Totalling at a gargantuan 196 minutes, the additional 30 minutes of swords and sandals certainly justify the elongated runtime. But alas, even with all the blood and guts, it's hindered by a lacklustre screenplay. Loosely based on Homer's epic poem Iliad, depicting the Trojan War and the sack of Troy, which happens to be Homer's second poem Odyssey. A war of powerful greed, lustful pride and embellishing love, the Trojan War is one of the most famous wars in Greek Mythology. Director Petersen manages to convey the central theme of immortality through vivid battles and ultimatums, with little assistance from Benioff's screenplay. The sheer lack of characterisation, particularly from Paris and Achilles, resulted in a monotonous story about honour. There was no emotion. Understandably it is a period war epic and so the sprawling battles take precedent, and they are entertainingly violent. But when so much time is spent establishing these characters and the relationships between them, you would've thought some emotional resonance should've naturally transpired. Acting was functional, mostly focusing on the physicality of their roles, with Pitt and Bana being the standouts. The duel between Hector and Achilles remains one of the most engrossing battles put to film. The inventive sword and shield choreography was outstanding. Despite having wealthy mythological source material, Benioff managed to make several changes that lead me questioning particular choices, especially condensing a decade long war to a mere week or two. Being a fan of Greek Mythology, I found it difficult to believe certain aspects. Some characters died when they shouldn't have, romances bloomed that didn't exist. Yet, for mainstream audiences that are uninitiated with such backgrounds, this remains a well paced action epic with visceral violence and a solid cast. Just don't expect an honest translation of Homer's poem.