Strangely flat and unemotional movie with one redeeming quality - Eric Bana

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2004)

For one of the greatest stories ever told, and a movie that had all the right pieces - great cast, incredible locations, wonderful story and loads of money - this was a strangely flat and underwhelming enterprise.
Brad Pitt seemed uninspired, even disinterested at times, Orly is only slightly less culpable, but only because he obviously is not experienced or mature enough of a thespian for deep, dramatic roles yet, and Diane Kruger is a casting disaster the size of Titanic. Yeah, she's a pretty girl, but I'm sure Hollywood is full of pretty girls who CAN act.
Although considering what silliness they were all forced to utter by the scriptwriter(s), one can be quite forgiving.
I won't even start with the up-and-down directing and the shameless exploitation of the hunk factor (but c'mon, do the Hollywood producers really think we are THAT interested in Brad's naked behind?! the man could barely keep his pants on the entire movie!)
Still, despite all that - and that is the biggest surprise here - this is hardly a bad movie. Even despite bouts of laughter during what were supposed to be dramatic scenes (and a few derogatory audience comments regarding Orly's matchstick legs), the fact that women in the movie are basically window-dressing without three brain cells between them, and ridiculously silly and out-of-place dialogue. Why? Three reasons, really.
One - Eric Bana. Sure, he was lost as the Hulk, so much so that I was beginning to wonder if he were the same guy from Chopper and Black Hawk Down, but he more than made up for it with his thoughtful and insightful portrayal of Hector, the man who knows love, honor and sacrifice. Not only did he steal this movie, he slam-dunked it!
Two - THE fight scene. Yes, I'm talking the Hector-Achilles duel to the death. That was one excellent piece of movie-making, and all praises go to Bana and Pitt who did it all by themselves, no stunt doubles.
Three - the Peter O'Toole moment. The only really touching and spot-on dramatic moment in the entire 163 minute movie - King Priam begging the arrogant warrior who had just killed his son and disrespected his body to give it back for a proper funeral. You gotta give the man who can utter such a sappy line as "I loved my son from the moment he opened his eyes till the moment you closed them" with such conviction and heartache all the credit he fully deserves.
Now, if only those three things were enough. Alas, for this viewer they were not, and I left the theater thinking "where is a director with passion and vision of Peter Jackson when you really need him?" Sad, but true.