Homer's 'Odyssey' Adaptation: 6 Actors Who Would Be Perfect As Odysseus | Contactmusic.com Homer's 'Odyssey' Adaptation: 6 Actors Who Would Be Perfect... Homer's 'Odyssey' Adaptation: 6 Actors Who Would Be Perfect As Odysseus Sean Bean Henry Cavill Gerard Butler Jason Statham Ioan Gruffudd Hugh Jackman Ben Affleck Francis Lawrence Homer's 'Odyssey' will be adapted into a movie by the team behind 'The Hunger Games' trilogy. We asked a group of Classics students which actor would play Odysseus in their ideal film and selected the top six choices. Homer's Odyssey finally has the epic (pun more definitely intended) directing, writing and producing team it deserves. Fresh from working on The Hunger Games trilogy, Francis Lawrence is set to direct, Peter Craig to write and Nina Jacobson to produce the upcoming film. Sean Bean was top of the list of ideal actors to play Odysseus. Read More: Sean Bean Cast In New ITV Drama The Frankenstein Chronicles.

Lawrence has directed the past three instalments of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Mockingjay: Part 1 and the upcoming Mockingjay: Part 2. Craig has co-written the two Mockingjay instalments and is also known for The Town, starring Ben Affleck . Jacobson, who owns Color Force productions, has been with the Hunger Games since the beginning and has also previously worked on such films as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and One Day. Lionsgate are the studios behind the upcoming adaptation of the Odyssey and the project is reportedly on fast track, according to Deadline . Production is set to begin early next year. The Odyssey, composed by Homer in the 8th century BCE, centres on the journey of Odysseus after the Trojan War. Odysseus takes a decade to return to his kingdom of Ithaca and to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Along the way he encounters aggressive suitors intent on seducing his wife, one-eyed Cyclopes, drugged up lotus-eaters, a six-headed monster called Scylla and the deadly whirlpool, Charybdis - amongst many, many others.

This writer, as a Classics student, couldn't be more excited about the prospect of an Odyssey adaptation which might actually match the scale of Homer's epic poem. Although the cast of the upcoming adaptation are yet to be announced, I did some polling of a group of Classics postgraduate students and they revealed who their ideal Odysseus would be. Sean Bean: The 55-year-old actor would be reprising the role as he previously played Odysseus in the 2004 movie Troy. Bean is no stranger to period dramas and fantasy as his other film and television credits include Sharpe, Lord of the Rings and Troy. He is most definitely at the top of most Classicists' lists to be Odysseus. Henry Cavill : Odysseus was something of a heartbreaker - even loving and leaving the goddess Calypso - and Cavill, with his dashing good looks and toned physique, certainly has the physical credentials for the role. The 31-year-old British actor has previously taken on another mythical hero, Theseus, in the 2011 film, Immortals. Henry Cavill has played another mythical hero, Theseus.

Hugh Jackman : The Wolverine actor is a fan favourite and is of the right age for Odysseus, who has been at war and trooping around the Mediterranean for twenty years by the time he returns home to Ithaca. Not only is he handsome and rugged, he's also a clever chap, ideal for Odysseus who is notoriously 'resourceful', 'cunning' and 'wise'. Hugh Jackman - rugged, handsome and clever. Is he the ideal Odysseus? Read More: Hugh Jackman Confirms New Wolverine Movie Will Be His Last. Jason Statham : Odysseus is one of the first action heroes and Statham has certainly proved he can fight off any manner of monster as we have seen from his roles in The Expendables, The Mechanic and Transporter. We're not too sure about that strong London accent though... Jason Stathamwas named as ideal actors for Odysseus. Ioan Gruffudd : The 41-year-old Welsh actor is definitely classically trained, having studied at RADA, which seems appropriate for anyone playing a preeminent classical figure.

He's well known for his roles in both action films such as Fantastic Four and for playing such figures as William Wilberforce and Tony Blair. Ioan Gruffudd has played another famous seafarer, Horatio Hornblower. Gerard Butler : He's played King Leonidas in 300 and we know he can rock skimpy armour, something which may prove useful in one particular scene in the poem where Odysseus washes up naked on the island of Phaeacia. He also has action hero credentials with his roles in such films as Olympus Has Fallen and Machine Gun Preacher. With thanks to the University of Leeds Classics Postgraduates for their input. Gerard Butler has previously played another classical legend, King Leonidas. Contactmusic Troy (2004) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error An adaptation of Homer's great epic, the film follows the assault on Troy by the united Greek forces and chronicles the fates of the men involved.

Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON TV Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence. a list of 25 titles created 03 Mar 2012 a list of 21 titles created 15 Jul 2014 a list of 42 titles created 04 Jan 2015 a list of 25 titles created 09 May 2015 a list of 44 titles created 3 months ago Search for " Troy " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 19 nominations. See more awards » Videos King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

Director: Zack Snyder A bored married couple is surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other. Director: Doug Liman Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. Director: Steven Soderbergh Danny Ocean rounds up the boys for a third heist, after casino owner Willy Bank double-crosses one of the original eleven, Reuben Tishkoff. Director: Steven Soderbergh Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences. Director: David Fincher Daniel Ocean recruits one more team member so he can pull off three major European heists in this sequel to Ocean's 11. Director: Steven Soderbergh Greek general Themistokles leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy. Director: Noam Murro Hancock is a superhero whose ill considered behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when one person he saves helps him improve his public image.

Director: Peter Berg Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure. Director: Francis Lawrence Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England. Director: Guy Ritchie An American military advisor embraces the Samurai culture he was hired to destroy after he is captured in battle. Director: Edward Zwick Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty. Director: Guy Ritchie Edit Storyline As the Greeks fall, they decided to head back home. King Priam decides to have one last battle with the Greeks to leave Troy for good. It was a night battle so the Greeks didn't knew, raining them down with flaming arrows and lighting huge balls of dry branches and rolling them down at the beach. It was a battle that Achilles wasn't in, but his cousin Patroclus pretended to be him by wearing his armor, his sword, his helmet, and his moves. Hector finally had a battle with Achilles not knowing it wasn't him.

Patroclus was fast but Hector was faster, causing him to cut Patroclus's neck and finishing him with a sword to the heart. Written by DCE Rated R for graphic violence and some sexuality/nudity | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 14 May 2004 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Untitled 'The Illiad' Project See more » Filming Locations: £89,286 (UK) (14 May 2004) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia The character of Briseis was first given to Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan but she declined due to being uncomfortable with love making scenes. See more » Goofs When Paris fights Menelaus, the view from Paris' eyes makes it appear that Paris' helmet has no nose protection. Paris' nose protection, a slim piece of metal placed directly between the eyes, would not be visible by the wearer. See more » Quotes [first lines] Odysseus : [voiceover] Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries?

Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved? Troy: The Good and The Bad... 13 May 2004 | by Stabo – See all my reviews The Good: Peter O'Toole Sean Bean Eric Bana Rose Byrne Brian Cox Fight Sequences The Bad: Some of the dialogue THE MUSIC! (So disappointing considering how good the music in the trailer is) There have been a lot of reviews making very sweeping statements about this movie. Especially regarding the casting of Brad Pitt and the acting of Orlando Bloom. To be honest, the above is nothing to worry about, both do a more than adequate job. One review on here said the movie would have been spectacular if it was on mute. I didn't know what he/she meant, but I can laugh about it now. (they're right) As the only downsides to this movie is the music and some of the dialogue. Other than that it great entertainment. O'Toole was awesome (like there ever was a doubt) every scene Sean Bean was in boosted the credability of the film. I felt sorry for Eric Bana's character Hector which means he did his job well.

Rose Byrne and Brian Cox were the two surprise packets, delivering powerful and believable performances. All of which adds to the theory that if you want a great epic: You can't leave all the acting to the Americans! one needs some Brits or Aussies.(like in.. Gladiator, Braveheart, Lord of the Rings and now Troy.) Don't worry about all the hype, this is a great and inexpensive way to spend an entertaining 3 hours. The scenery and fight sequences are awesome, it's almost worth paying to see how Brad Pitt moves with some of his weapons (shield especially). 7/10 36 of 55 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Movie Review - - FILM REVIEW; Greeks Bearing Immortality - NYTimes.com FILM REVIEW; Greeks Bearing Immortality By A. O. SCOTT Published: May 14, 2004 THIS war will never be forgotten.

Nor will the heroes who fight in it.'' This line of dialogue expresses a thought that recurs frequently, with various inflections and in the mouths of various heroes, over the nearly two and a half hours of Wolfgang Petersen's ''Troy,'' which had its world premiere here last night and opens nationwide in the United States today. In one sense, it is less a prophecy than a statement of the obvious, since the names of Achilles, Hector, Odysseus and the rest have endured for 3,000 years. At the same time, though, the endless talk of immortality seems to express the picture's anxious, naÃ¯ve ambition, which is to rise above the welter of summer blockbusters and ascend into the pantheon of movie classics. This is most unlikely. ''Troy,'' which cost something approaching the gross national product of modern Greece, will be lucky to survive the arrival of ''Shrek 2'' on Wednesday. But for what it is -- a big, expensive, occasionally campy action movie full of well-known actors speaking in well-rounded accents -- ''Troy'' is not bad.

It has the blocky, earnest integrity of a classic comic book, and it labors to respect the strangeness and grandeur of its classical sources. Some moments may make you rue the existence of cinema, or at least of movies with sound, since the dialogue often competes with James Horner's score for puffed-up obviousness. But there are others -- crisply edited combat sequences, tableaus of antique splendor, a hugely muscled Brad Pitt modeling the latest in Hellenic leisure wear -- that remind you why you like movies in the first place. From its opening scenes, ''Troy,'' freely adapted by David Benioff from ''The Iliad'' and other sources, plunges you into a world shaped by complex codes of honor, loyalty and military virtue. Or, rather, it plunges you into a world where people talk about such things incessantly, and where every speech is punctuated by booming timpani and the ululations of an apparently tongueless female singer, her inarticulate moans announcing that this is not just a movie but an epic. Still, for once there really is a solid epic architecture underneath all the pageantry, and not just a very long movie set in the distant past. Mr.

Benioff's script, for all its line-by-line infelicities, shows a real fascination with Homer's great characters, and with the nexus of divided loyalties and competing ambitions that led to so much death and destruction. Unlike movies that take war as a simple contest of good and evil, ''Troy'' remains faithful to Homer (and to human nature) by understanding war as a political event, with plenty of viciousness and virtue to go around. Like his screenplay for Spike Lee's ''25th Hour'' (based on his own novel), ''Troy'' is fundamentally a story about treachery and brotherhood -- about the fallibility and fragile nobility of men. In other words, it was not all Helen's fault. Helen, played by Diane Kruger, a German model, is perfectly lovely, and it is easy to see why she prefers the boyish Paris (Orlando Bloom) to grouchy Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), the ruler of Sparta. But their puppyish romance is the trivial pretext for the war rather than its true cause. Menelaus's jealousy is exploited by his brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox), who uses the insult to further his imperial ambitions.

His chief weapon is the sullen Achilles (Mr. Pitt), who in an early scene strolls out of his love tent, like a petulant movie star summoned from his trailer, to dispatch an enormous Thessalonian warrior with a single stroke of the sword. Achilles' temperament -- a volatile mixture of vanity, cynicism and sentimentality -- is the key to the movie, and Mr. Pitt attacks the role with the same vigor and agility the character demonstrates in combat. Yes, his accent sounds a bit like Madonna's, perhaps in deference to the mostly English and Australian actors who make up most of the cast, but for once he does not seem embarrassed by his charisma, or driven to subvert it with actorish tics. Achilles' narcissism is like that of a modern celebrity: he fights because it will bring him fame, not to serve the gods or the glory of the Greek nation or, least of all, his corrupt king. His true loyalty is to individuals -- his beloved cousin Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund), his ruthless Myrmidons and his love interest, the captured Trojan priestess Briseis (Rose Byrne) -- rather than to causes.

His Trojan counterpart is Paris's brother, Hector (Eric Bana), who is constrained by the bonds of kinship, duty and patriotism that Achilles disdains. If Achilles is a kind of existentialist rock star, Hector is a stoical family man, protective of his wayward brother, respectful of his father, Priam (Peter O'Toole), and devoted to his wife, Andromache (Saffron Burrows) and their infant son. The events leading up to Hector's duel with Achilles -- a tempest of failure, deceit and unappeasable emotion -- are the beating heart of Homer's poem, and the filmmakers approach them with respectful sobriety, even going so far as to lower the volume on Mr. Horner's music. Mr. Bana, after his tentative superhero turn in ''The Hulk,'' shows more confidence here. His brooding, bearded countenance plays against Mr. Pitt's gleaming blondness, and the visual contrast emphasizes the differences between the characters. Meanwhile, you can savor a generational contrast in acting styles whenever Mr. Cox or Mr. O'Toole appears onscreen. Mr.

O'Toole, frail and pale-eyed, quavers and whispers his way through the movie with regal panache, and with that sly knack, common among British actors of a certain age, for seeming utterly aloof from the movie and at the same time utterly committed to it. Mr. Cox, for his part, never misses an opportunity to toss his impressive hair extensions and bellow like a beast of prey. If Odysseus hadn't thought up the Trojan Horse, this Agamemnon would have chewed through the walls of Troy all by himself. Whether ''Troy'' will spur a revival of Hollywood interest in ancient literature remains to be seen, but the Greek and Roman canon is full of franchise potential, since it consists mainly of sequels, prequels and spin-offs. Some are signaled near the end of Mr. Petersen's film as the Greeks overrun the city. (What's your name, kid? Aeneas? Here, take this sword and go found another city somewhere else. Penelope? Yeah, it's Odysseus. Yeah. Bad connection. Listen, I'll be home soon.

Who were you just talking to?) One notable sequel, however, has been foreclosed, by a killing that is certainly merited but that will nonetheless be surprising to scholars. I won't spoil it, but if I were Aeschylus, I'd call my agent. ''Troy'' is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) for intense violence and brief nudity. TROY Directed by Wolfgang Petersen; written by David Benioff, inspired by Homer's ''Iliad''; director of photography, Roger Pratt; edited by Peter Honess; music by James Horner; production designer, Nigel Phelps; produced by Mr. Petersen, Diana Rathbun and Colin Wilson; released by Warner Brothers Pictures. Running time: 140 minutes. This film is rated R. WITH: Brad Pitt (Achilles), Eric Bana (Hector), Orlando Bloom (Paris), Diane Kruger (Helen), Brian Cox (Agamemnon), Sean Bean (Odysseus), Brendan Gleeson (Menelaus), Peter O'Toole (Priam), Garrett Hedlund (Patroclus), Rose Byrne (Briseis), Saffron Burrows (Andromache).

Troy (Film) - TV Tropes Anachronism Stew : As a movie adaptation of the stories was rather inaccurate, being a "historical interpretation" , but one particularly egregious point was that the filmmakers put a llama in the city of Troy. Llamas, of course, being native to the Americas and could not have been in Troy at any time in the past. The Trojan War takes place in the Bronze Age but there are several weapons in the film that didn't exist until the Iron Age or later. Annoying Arrows : Ajax, who simply snaps the arrows and keeps on. The first shot goes into the heel, but Achilles gets right back up. It's the five arrows after that that do the trick , but he pulls them out one after another before finally keeling over so when Greek soldiers find him, the only arrow in his body is the one just above his foot. Annoying Younger Sibling : In this adaptation, both Paris and Patroclus would qualify as this to their older brother and cousin respectively. Armor Is Useless : Mocked by Achilles.

A boy comes to his tent to tell him that Agamemnon is calling for him and starts gushing about how amazing Achilles is, saying "they say you can't be harmed in battle," to which Achilles responds "then I wouldn't be bothering with the shield, would I?" Armor-Piercing Response : Hector tries an Armor-Piercing Question on Achilles: ï¿½You speak of war as if itï¿½s a game. But how many wives wait at Troyï¿½s gates for husbands theyï¿½ll never see again?ï¿½ Achilles responds, ï¿½Perhaps your brother can comfort them. I hear heï¿½s good at charming other menï¿½s wives .ï¿½ Hector is duly speechless. Artistic License ï¿½ Geography : The Troad is not nearly as desert-like (or smooth) as seen in the film. Ascended Extra : Achilles's officer Eudorus and Hector's officer Glaucus have more "face time" here. Award Bait Song : "Remember" sung by Josh Groban and composed by James Horner, who pretty much deals in these. Badass Army : The Myrmidons, Achilles's elite fighters.

Who spend much of their time doing nothing because Achilles is sulking. Since there are only 50 of them to begin with and more than half die in the first battle of the war, they're more of a Badass Crew . Badass Back : Achilles deflects an arrow to the back without looking. Badass Boast : Achilles has quite a few: ï¿½Is there no one else?!!ï¿½ To Hector, first meeting: ï¿½Why kill you now, Prince of Troy, with no one here to see you fall?ï¿½ To Hector, final meeting: ï¿½There are no pacts between lions and men.ï¿½ Boisterous Bruiser : Menelaus Broad Strokes : Homer and other writers have Achilles and Paris die a long time before the Greeks enter Troy (there is even time enough to marry Helen to Paris' brother Deiphobus). However since the creators cast Brad Pitt as Achilles, the hero of the film, he doesn't die until the very end. This change allows no fewer than four characters who were supposed to die or be captured to escape.

From a certain point of view this is true to the The Iliad 's portrayal, since the book is all about Achilles and Hector and ends with Hector's burial. Also, many scenes in The Iliad were altered, such as the scene with Achilles chasing Hector around the city walls until Hector decided to stop running. That probably wouldn't have fit the tone. Several of the characters changed: Agamemnon and Menelaus were not the stock villains they're portrayed as, and escaped the wrath of the gods or women at least until they got home in Agamemnon's case; Hector would have let Paris die, not saved him, because of his sense of honor; Ajax was a civil defensive fighter, not a barbaric berserker. Greater Ajax went berserker at one point after the Iliad and slaughtered an entire flock of sheep , but that was because of a madness sent by the gods after Ajax reacted badly over not being awarded Achilles' armour after he and Odysseus saved his body from the Trojans.

Also: Achilles wasn't a misotheist , he honored the Gods; Patroclus was older and wiser than Achilles (Iliad XI, 780-790), not his whiny baby cousin, and the latter was famous for being among the youngest warriors in the war. And Hector actually tried at great lengths to desecrate Patroclus' corpse throughout the battle. (When Patroclus died the fight actually continued, and wasn't suddenly canceled like a football match). Achilles' soldiers fought tooth and nail to defend Patroclus' body. They were driven off long enough for the body to be looted, but fought their way back to claim the actual corpse. Briseis invokes a subversion of this trope , stating that she believed Achilles to simply be a brute but was taken aback by his intelligence and eloquence . This marks her transition from hating him to begrudgingly falling in love with him . If you consider Ajax to be the villain, he could easily fit that as well. He can be one of those rare examples of when a character fits both the role of The Big Guy and the brute.

Byronic Hero : Achilles California Doubling : Set in Greece and Turkey, shot in Malta and Mexico. Call That a Formation? : Averted. In the battle following Menelaus' death, the disorganized Greeks basically lose because they can't break the Trojan ranks. Averted by the Trojans in general, but the Greeks tend to play it straight. The Greeks do have their moments where they avert this trope and as a result they win engagements. An obvious example is during the landing at the shores of Troy where Achilles and the Myrmidons where being shot by arrows from the Trojan defenders. They initially sufferred some casualties and seeing this, Achilles orders the Myrmidons to form a Phalanx and they gradually stepped forward without casualties until they came close enough to charge into the Trojan archers and slaughtered them. Truth in Television as this portrayal of the Phalanx was actually one of the common ways Hoplites dealt with archers. Cassandra Truth : Inverted (!) by the Trojan priests, who always give exactly the wrong advice and are always believed. Interestingly , their prophecies are always literally true !

Cassandra herself does not appear ( merged with Briseis.) Amusingly subverted in the actual myths, as the priests actually foretell that the Trojan Horse will be the doom of Troy. Poseidon, being on the side of the Greeks, "shuts up" the priest Laocoön , and the Trojans swiftly take the horse inside to avoid being next to feel the god's wrath. Played straight with Hector. Chastity Dagger : How Agamemnon meets his end. Chekhov's Skill : The movie shows that Paris is hopelessly outmatched in sword and shield combat, but he is an excellent archer. Chewing the Scenery : "I will smash their walls to the ground... if it costs me 40,000 Greeks! Hear Me, Zeus! " Cox's Agamemnon swans around in the kind of crazy-colored vestments favored by overweight middle-aged fiber artists, leaving half-chewed crumbs of scenery in his wake. At one point a character scolds, "You can't have the whole world, Agamemnon.

It's too big — even for you!" But Cox gnaws so relentlessly at everything around him, you're sure he could nibble it down to size in no time. — Stephanie Zacharek, Salon Coitus Ensues : Achilles and Briseis. Combat by Champion : Achilles vs. Boagrius, Paris vs. Menelaus. The Iliad is Trope Codifier of this one. Subverted with Paris vs. Menelaus, as both Menelaus and Agamemnon make it clear they are going to sack Troy after the duel anyway. Hector is well aware of this and lists it as reason to not have the duel. Composite Character : Briseis. She's combined with Chryseis, Cassandra, and Clytemnestra. Paris gets Laocoön's lines at the end of the film, and most of the competing Greek heroes such as Diomedes are not seen. Hector with advice-giver Polydamas, which actually makes Hector even more tragic because while in the book, Hector dies as an indirect result of NOT taking Polydamas' advice, while in the movie he dies because everyone else doesn't take HIS advice.

Compressed Adaptation : the entire ten years of war appear to take place in less than a fortnight. The Iliad itself deals with a 51-day period near end of the war. For the first 9 years and a bit, the Greeks also attacked the towns surrounding Troy, and had to deal. But there is still a lot that happens between the end of the Iliad and the fall and sacking of Troy. Continuity Cameo : Paris hands off the sword of Troy to an escaping Aeneas , to the delight of Latin geeks in the audience... though Aeneas is a random teen civilian in the movie instead of a Trojan warrior. For bonus points, Aeneas is also guiding his aged father. His wife is nowhere to be seen, but maybe he already lost her. In the extended version, Odysseus's first scene shows him in Ithaca with his faithful dog. His wife and son are still not mentioned, though. Cool Old Guy : Glaucus, second-in command for the Trojan armies. Also Nestor, who along with Odysseus, is the Only Sane Man on the Greek side.

Costume Porn : The men have kickass armor and often clean up nicely , but the women naturally get pounds of jewelry. Helen's circlet of golden laurel leaves is especially notable. Dead Unicorn Trope : The Trojan Horse. Deadpan Snarker : In a movie with Odysseus in it, can anyone else possibly deserve the Deadpan Snarker label?! Hector (to a degree) is the only one to give sound military advice and point out the flaws in the plans of everyone else. When all of Priam's generals are standing up and saying how the gods favored them, Hector says something along the lines of: "We are really outnumbered, and considering Achilles cut off the statue of Apollo's head and he didn't react, I really don't think the gods are going to fight this one for us." Odysseus definitely earns it as well (and also gives sound military advice), he's just in the film less than Hector. Sean Bean manages to convey snark without speech, making silly faces at Achilles while people pay homage to Agamemnon. Odysseus has the most snarky line in the movie: 'The men believe we came here for Menelaus' wife.

We won't be needing her any more.' Achilles is pretty snarky himself in this adaptation. Not as snarky as Odysseus, mind you, but he has his moments (see Armor-Piercing Question above). Death by Adaptation : Agamemnon, who in the original myths ends up going home with Cassandra as his slave, only to be killed by his wife. Menelaus' death is even more egregious , as all the myths make him survive the war and he and Helen return to Sparta and their daughter Hermione. It's easy to see why they changed it, though. Ajax, too. In the poem, he actually kills himself out of shame for having slaughtered a flock of sheep (believing it to have been Odysseus, Agamemnon, and other leaders who had agreed to give Odysseys Achilles' armor). Death by Irony : Achilles is forewarned by Eudorus that he should not offend Apollo, who is known as the Sun God, as he sees everything. Achilles chooses to ignore his advice and arrogantly chops the head off of the statue of Apollo, which ominously shows the God as an archer.

By doing this, Achilles basically signed his doom because he ends up being killed by Paris' arrows. One could say that Apollo had killed Achilles through Paris. Achilles: I wouldn't be bothering with the shield then, would I? In The Iliad , Achilles's mother is a sea goddess. In this film, she's a woman of questionable sanity who believes she's a river goddess. We're never quite sure whether she really is a goddess or not . Also, unlike later versions, in the Iliad Achilles is not invulnerable, but shown being wounded in battle. The Iliad says Priam infiltrated the Greek camp because the god Hermes guided him. Here its because he knows the lay of the land better than the Greeks. Desecrating the Dead : Achilles promises to disfigure Hector's corpse after he kills him. After he does the deed, he drags the body behind his chariot and later, we get a close up of Hector's body to see that Achilles made good on his promise. Deus Exit Machina : Achilles sulks in his tent for half of the story. Diamonds in the Buff : Paris gives Helen a necklace while she is otherwise nude.

Even the Guys Want Him : Brad Pitt as Achilles, in-universe example. Evil Counterpart : There is a "trifecta" so to speak that have parallels that could go into this category involving three sets of familial duos. When you really think about it, Agamemnon actually serves this role to Achilles. In how both have a massive ego, both desperately desire to make their names immortal through the annals of history, both have a younger relative who they are very close to (Patroclus and Menelaus) whose death (both at the hands of Hector ironically enough) sends them into a vengeful rage, and both have a desire for Briseis. It can also be said that Agamemnon and Menelaus parallel Hector and Paris as well. Both sets being royal brothers with genuine bonds of affection towards each other, with an older sibling who is more successful and glorified but also defensive of his younger sibling. The feud over Helen is also notably rooted in the younger sibling of either pair, both of whom are illustrated to have been notorious womanizers. There are also parallels between the duos of Achilles/Patroclus and Hector/Paris.

While none of them are evil per se, they do fall into opposite sides of the conflict. Achilles and Hector are the older of the two, and each is renowned as the greatest warrior on his side as well as one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. Both are also respected military commanders. Patroclus and Paris are the impulsive and naive younger members of the pair who make certain mistakes because of those flaws. (Each of their biggest being taking on an opponent who was far out of their league in combat) Famed In-Story : Take a wild guess. Fanservice : Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and Orlando Bloom all get some glistening, well-muscled shirtless scenes , and most of the male cast wear Dangerously Short Tunics during their fighting scenes. The guys get (an almost nude) Diane Kruger , Rose Byrne , and Saffron Burrows. The extended cut shows off more, particularly Diane Kruger. Fatal Flaw : Priam is a wise and good king, but he's just a little too pious, leading to military mistakes that destroy his city.

The Good Chancellor : Nestor Grey and Grey Morality : Neither side is particularly virtuous, with Agamemnon simply using Helen to justify the war and Menelaus clearly cared for her only as a trophy wife while Paris was a scrupulous womanizer who knew what the consequences would be for taking Helen. Much of the Trojan royal court and military is dismissive of the war and the fact of people dying just because they believe the Gods will allow them to win. Hector and Odysseus are the only people who come across as noble and respectful at all times, while Achilles is generally portrayed as better than most of the royal Greeks. Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today? : It is repeatedly emphasized that Achilles and Patroclus have a close relationship because they are COUSINS. In the Iliad and other versions of the myth their closeness derives from growing up together at the court of Achilles' father. Whether or not the two were actually lovers in a sexual sense has been controversial for 2,400 years, in a debate that goes back at least as far as Classical Athens.

[1] Regardless of the intent of the source material, the movie's awkward belaboring of the point that they're COUSINS DAMMIT falls squarely under this trope - since the goal seems to be to avert even the possibility that they could be less than 100% heterosexual. According to Pindarus, Patroclus was a kind of half-uncle to Achilles, less close kin than e. g. Ajax.note The nymph Aegina was Achilles' great-grandmother (through her union with Zeus) as well as Patroclus' grandmother (through her union with the mortal Actor), which made Patroclus Achilles' first cousin once removed; Achilles' father Peleus and Ajax' father Telamon were both sons of Aiacus and Endeis. It just didn't matter to the Greeks , and in ancient Greece the word "pederasty" denoted an accepted sexual relationship between a young man and an older one who acted as his teacher or mentor — the role Patroclus played for Achilles.

Achilles' womanizing is also accurate to the original stories, where much of the plot is motivated by Achilles' desire for various women as well as men: he lusted after Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazon women from Ethiopia, in a subplot that shall sadly be missed. Helmets Are Hardly Heroic : Averted, for the most part, then enforced when Achilles fights Hector, as the former knows the latter killed his cousin because said cousin was disguised as Achilles. As they're squaring off, Achilles removes his helmet with, "Now you know who you're fighting." And then Hector removes his to keep the fight fair. Hero Antagonist : The Greeks are the protagonists, but they're led by an expansionist power-hungry tyrant while the Trojans are simply defending their land and paying for the rash actions of one of their own, and their leaders are far more noble. The Juggernaut : Achilles. Karma Houdini : Paris (and to an arguably lesser extent, Helen) is one of the only characters in the film to escape with his life, even though his own selfish actions are directly responsible for the death and or ruined life of nearly every other person in the movie.

Though it's played with in the he has to watch Troy burn and know that it's all his fault, and by the end of the movie, the implication is he has grown enough as a person to fully understand the gravity of what's he has done. Arguably, lots of Greek soldiers who by the end Rape, Pillage, and Burn Troy, and while their leader gets killed, majority of the military survives and arguably returns home. Kill Me Now, or Forever Stay Your Hand : Achilles to Briseis. More like "kill me or have sex with me, your choice." Seeing as it's Brad Pitt her choice was not surprisingly the latter. King Incognito : In the extended Director's Cut, Odysseus is introduced this way. He's mistaken for a shepherd by Agamemnon's messengers looking for the king of Ithaca and tells them that " Actually, I Am Him ". Knight Templar Big Brother : Both Achilles and Hector to their younger cousin and brother respectively. Achilles doesn't take his eventual failure of this trope very well at all. Large Ham : Brian Cox out-hams Brendan Gleeson. He taught an entire generation of filmgoers how to spell AGAMEMNON!

by helpfully shouting it at key points in the film. Not a complaint , mind you... In interviews, you can see him grinning like a kid in a candy store throughout the shoot. Though some of his lines are straight from the Iliad itself. Don't forget the moment right after Menelaus dies. You can see Brian Cox's face almost literally turn about eight shades of red as he screams for his soldiers to fight. Last Stand : Glaucus leads a Last Stand of Troy's soldiers while trying to buy time for any survivors. Soldiers of Troy! To LEAD you men has been my Honah! The boatman waits for us! Let's make him wait... a little Longah! Leeroy Jenkins : Technically, Achilles and the Myrmidons do this when the Greeks first reach Troy. They're awesome enough that, despite a copious helping of Hollywood Tactics , they actually succeed. My God, What Have I Done? : Hector, when he realizes that he had slain Achilles' younger cousin, Patroclus instead of Achilles himself. The look and the reaction that Hector has when he realizes this truth is heartbreaking.

This moment makes Hector an even more sympathetic character than he already is, showing that Hector has a conscience and empathy for others. It also confirmed that Hector does not like violence and war but only involves himself in battle for the love and protection of his family and his country. One can automatically see the guilt and the remorse on Hector's face for having killed one so young. Hector is so distraught over Patroclus' suffering (he had his throat slit) that he commits a Mercy Kill by stabbing him with his sword to stop Patroclus from suffering and to put him out of his misery. When Odysseus tells Hector that he had killed Achilles' cousin, Hector basically knew that his fate was sealed. Hector even expresses to Andromache that he had killed someone so young in Patroclus, all the while showing deep regret and remorse for what he had done through his expression. Achilles also has a moment likes this. After Priam politely scolds Achilles for the way that he had treated the dead body of his son after fighting him and killing him and when he asks to have his son's body back for proper burial rites, Achilles cries over Hector's dead body, showing that he feels remorse and guilt for killing the Trojan prince.

Achilles even tells a dead Hector "that they will meet again soon". It was in this moment that Achilles finally showed Hector, his rival, the respect that he deserved. Mythology Gag : Toward the end of the movie, Odysseus realizes that the story of this war will be a story told and retold forever...and he wonders briefly if anyone will ever tell his story. Well... Nay-Theist : Achilles (film only). See The Fatalist, above. Nigh Invulnerable : Achilles. No Bisexuals : Achilles was Ambiguously Bi in the original story, to the point of Lampshade Hanging ; a not-so-uncommon thing with Ancient Greek warriors. The film downplays his relationship with Patroclus and plays up his relationship with Briseis. Not Even Bothering with the Accent : As a review on IMDB put it, "Congratulations Sean Bean, for making me realize Odysseus was actually a native of Sheffield." But no one else in the cast seems to bother, either. Weirdly, it still kind of works - the most jarring voice is that of American Brad Pitt, compared to his mostly British , Scottish, Irish, and Australian co-stars.

It is not like the target audience (and probably not anyone else) actually has the slightest idea what Bronze Age Greeks sounded like, and American actors trying to sound like modern Greeks would have just been absurd. Achilles having the sole American accent actually works, as it helps mark him an outsider to the other Greeks. Number Two : Eudorus to Achilles, Glaucus to Hector. Offhand Backhand : Achilles' fighting style. One-Man Army : Achilles' 300-esque assault on the beach. Of course, it's freaking Achilles. The Only One Allowed to Defeat You : Sort of. "Go back to your woman and tomorrow we'll have our war... It's too early in the day for killing princes." Basically, he was averting an anticlimax. Only Sane Man : Hector on one side, Odysseus on the other. They only meet for about fifteen seconds, but the respect is instant. Especially Hector, who seems to be the only Trojan with any idea of what real tactics in such a war would be. Any time his fellow Trojans decide to do something stupid because of 'favorable omens', he seems to be fighting the urge to Facepalm .

Paris takes up his brother's mantle later, being the one who advises Priam to just burn the Trojan Horse. Of course... Ordinary High-School Student : Aeneas is just a teen, which is why he flees with the Sword of Troy rather than protect Troy to the end. In the Iliad, he was Troy's best warrior after Hector and his fate is unknown , leaving room for a Sequel Hook in The Aeneid . Parting Words Regret : Achilles is obviously feeling this after his cousin's death. The last words he ever said to Patroclus were to not spend his life following another man's orders, before then kicking Patroclus out of his tent. The next day, Patroclus did exactly what Achilles told him to do and got killed for it . Pet the Dog : After demonstrating just how much of a Jerk Ass he can be at his worst (by showing the least possible respect to an opponent who fought honorably), Achilles lets King Priam take back Hector's body, give him a proper burial, and promises that no Greek will attack Troy for the 12 day funeral rites to be properly performed.

He also tells the King that Hector was the best warrior he had ever fought and frees Briseis to him. Prescience Is Predictable : "One day I will look upon your corpse and smile!" Also, Achilles' mom, the sea-nymph Thetis. And the Trojan priests , oddly enough . Prevent the War : Paris and Helen try to defuse the conflict by personal duel and just giving herself up, respectively. Sadly the war is politically motivated rather than over honor. Proper Lady : Briseis, Helen, and Andromache all fit the trope. Briseis could be considered a Princess Classic (through her relation to the Princes Hector and Paris), and also, being a priestess who serves Apollo; Helen is one considering she is first the Queen of Sparta and then becomes princess of Troy and finally, Andromache, for being the wife of Prince Hector, automatically making her a princess of Troy. Helen, Briseis, and Andromache are all refined and poised women who are of high status. Punctuated! For! Emphasis! : "Immortality! Take it! It's YOURS!!!!" Then Every... Son of Troy... Shall DIE !! But the GODS...

Favor ONLY!! THE STRONG!!! The Queen's Latin : With the exception of Achilles, who has a peculiar mid-Atlantic accent, fully enforced. Eric Bana and Rose Byrne don't seem to be using their native accents, either. Rape, Pillage, and Burn : "BURN! BURN TROY!" Troy gets this treatment at the end. "The Reason You Suck" Speech : A brief one: after curb-stomping Paris in their one-on-one duel and watching him try to crawl away, Menelaus looks up at the walls of Troy where Helen is watching and shouts, "Is this what you left me for!?" Reality Ensues : Paris thinks that he can beat Menelaus in a duel because of the love he and Helen share (or something like that). The old but incredibly strong and experienced war veteran beats the shit out of the wimpy spoiled prince. Rule of Cool : Historically inaccurate, but what the heck. Sadly Mythtaken : Sort of. While the Greek gods don't appear directly as in the original, the statue of Apollo looks distinctly Mesopotamian.

Probably referencing Greece's relative cultural dependence on Egypt and the old Middle East at the time; some scholars think Troy was a Hittite dependency (the "evidence" put forward for this crucially depends on making a lot of assumptions, though). You'd think the Greek structures would look more like those of Knossos, though. The carved statues outside of the Temple of Apollo are Egyptian right down to the pastiche beards: interestingly, they're still done wrong, as their left feet are shown to be forward, signifying divine mortals instead of gods. "Hector! Hector! Hector!"... and on and on. Scenery Porn : The city of Troy before the war begins... just beautiful... Senseless Sacrifice : Averted for that very reason. Helen is so overcome with grief and guilt at how many soldiers of Troy have died, that she attempts to give herself up while the Greeks are still on the beach. Hector points out to her if she did, the Greeks would still sack Troy anyway. So she should go back to Paris. Shell-Shocked Veteran : Achilles. He seems to have found a way to cope with it, but mentions that he sees his victims waiting for him in the Underworld in his dreams.

Shining City : Troy, especially during Helen's arrival. Shirtless Scene : You could say there was... one or two. Wait, does a leather breastplate count as a shirt? Shout-Out : Now, it's kind of a given that the original Achilles was smitten with glory and fame and all that but Achilles' repeated declarations of immortality and posthumous recognition seemed to have been put there mostly for the savvy viewers' benefit. Showdown at High Noon : Between Achilles and Hector outside Troyï¿½s city walls (making the The Iliad a possible Ur-Example ). The importance of this type of showdown is lampshaded earlier by Achilles, who says to Hector in their first meeting, ï¿½Why kill you now, Prince of Troy, with no one here to see you fall ?ï¿½ He further explains to Eudorus why he let Hector go: ï¿½ Itï¿½s too early in the day to be killing princes .ï¿½ Hector lampshades his family's alternate fate when showing Andromache the secret passageway out of Troy. Achilles lives long enough to see the sack of Troy but in the mythology he dies earlier.

Spiritual Successor : This movie to the miniseries Helen of Troy . Starcrossed Lovers : Achilles/Briseis. Achilles and Briseis are from opposing sides yet they fall in love with each other. Achilles is a Greek while Briseis is a Trojan, cousin of Princes Hector and Paris. Hector unknowingly kills Patroclus (Achilles' cousin) and to get revenge, Achilles kills Hector in return (Briseis' cousin). Towards the end of the film as Troy is falling, Achilles goes on a mission to save Briseis from possibly getting killed. Sadly, Briseis' other cousin Paris ends up killing Achilles through the use of a bow and arrows and Achilles meets his foretold doom. Briseis refuses to leave a dying Achilles and as he is dying, he confesses that he loves her and that amidst all of the violence, she had given him peace in a lifetime of war. Briseis flees with Paris and Achilles dies alone. Paris/Helen, perhaps the Trope Makers . Prince Paris is a Trojan prince who falls deeply in love with Helen, the Queen of Sparta, who is also married to Menelaus.

Because of this, their love is strongly forbidden. Menelaus discovers Paris and Helen's betrayal and asks his brother, Agamemnon to go to war with him. Basically, the entire Trojan war was started because of Paris and Helen's love for each other and many unnecessary deaths and casualties had occurred because of Paris' love for one woman. In the Iliad it is shown that Helen only became besotted with Paris because Aphrodite forced her to. There is even a scene where she shows she despises Paris for his behaviour in the fight against Menelaus, but Aphrodite then makes her return to Paris and have sex with him. Sword & Sandal : Wolfgang Petersen said he wanted it to be a throwback to classic sword-n-sandal films like Spartacus . And it was a success up to a point. Large Ham , Badass fights, stars in period clothing. Just needed some writing polish. Sword Fight : Considered one of the best Sword Fights on film (Achilles vs. Hector) even by people who hate the film .) And the spear duel that preceded the sword fight was pretty memorable too. Sticks to the Back : Achilles' shield, most of the time.

The movie may actually be right about that one . Teeth Flying : Paris manages to knock a tooth loose from Menelaus, the only good jab he gets in the fight. Trademark Finisher : Achilles' "Superman jump." Only Hector is able to defend himself against it, and even then, it doesn't do him any good in the long run. Trojan Horse : Check. In this version it's made out of the charred remains of a trireme, so it has a Darker and Edgier look. Minus the charring, that's pretty much where the lumber is always said to come from. The empty ships that the diminished number of Greeks couldn't sail home. Thwarted Coup de Grï¿½ce : Menelaus vs. Paris. Too Dumb to Live : Achilles is warned that he shouldn't offend the Sun God known as Apollo. Seconds later, he decapitates the Statue of Apollo, which shows the god as an archer. If the viewers imagine that the Gods are actually influencing the events of the movie , then Achilles pretty much signed his death warrant, resulting in Apollo using Paris's arrows to kill Achilles. Sure took his time, though.

Justified though in that Achilles shows signs of being a Nay-Theist , if not outright irreligious and even if one assumes the Greek Gods have a play in the movie's event, it should be remembered Achilles is supposedly the son of a river deity and thus have Olympian blood in him. Took a Level in Badass : Going a little bit into Adaptational Badass territory, Paris is subject to both tropes. After Hector's death, he finally realizes things will never be the same and mans up. He is shown practising archery in his free time rather than partying around or showing affection to Helen. By the time the Trojan Horse is introduced, he actually is far more level-headed than his father and the Trojan generals to the point that he warns them that the Trojan Horse maybe a trap (but sadly is ignored). When Achilles meets him during the Sack of Troy and attempts to attack him, Paris stands his ground and fires arrow upon arrow (including hitting the famed heel on his first shot) until Achilles is too wounded to continue attempting to assault Paris.

This may not be significant until you realize that 1) Achilles had already multiple shots in vital areas and kept trying to get at Paris (which in real life would scare the crap out of even real soldiers) 2) This is Achilles, the BEST WARRIOR of Greece we are talking about. Killing him with a bow and arrow may not be as manly as taking him on with a sword but when it's a man who killed many of the best soldiers Troy had to offer and could even take on 10-20 warriors singlehanded, you definitely earn some badass points. 3) Going hand-in-hand with Adaptational Badass and point 1), most interpretations of the original story has Achilles killed immediately upon being shot in the heel. Even earlier Greek sources where Achilles' supposed immortality was not part of the canon, a single arrow shot was enough to seriously incapacitate (and depending on what author you read, even kill) Achilles. It should be added also that in the original stories, Paris didn't hit Achilles with his own skill but had the help of Greek Gods and their powers.

So, when we have a cowardly party boy who has done nothing but lay around with other husband's wives not only have the fortitude to stand his ground against a Memetic Badass but even continue to engage in battle despite said legendary badass receiving wounds from multiple arrows, WITHOUT the help of Gods but with his own skills he developed in his free time, Paris definitely both Took a Level in Badass and receive some Adaptational Badass points. Also, sort of a Truth in Television as in real life it takes immense internal courage not to run away and to continue firing projectiles when enemy is just a few steps away and is about to slash your neck. Unflinching Walk : Achilles after dispatching enemies; he doesn't look back. See Single-Stroke Battle . Prone to breaking out the walk in mid-battle during the lulls, too.

Question: Which British actor played the role of Odysseus in the 2004 film ‘Troy’?
Answer: Sean Bean