Not historically right, but Oh! what a spectacle

Rating: 9/10 (6 July 2004)

Critics can clearly argue with the rights and wrongs of the story in its depiction of history, but the film as sheer entertainment is brilliant. Though it lasts for nearly three hours, it did not drag at all, and the cast was extremely good, with particular emphasis on the part played by Peter O'Toole - as always quite brilliant. Brad Pitt as Achilles played his part very well, and I felt his acting has improved considerably over the years. Eric Bana was really the star performer among the leads, and while he had some fairly ordinary lines to say, he did so with conviction. Bloom as Paris was passable, with not a lot to do for most of the movie. The "Trojan Horse" sequence was well done, but seemed to be over a bit too quickly as it was after all supposed to be the real climax to the story. All in all, a very good spectacle that did not disappoint from an entertainment viewpoint.