It had precious little to do with Homer's epic. Just a couple of minor plot points "alterations": Neither Agamemnon nor Menelaus die (or else...goodbye Aeschylus's "Orestrian Trilology"); the armies were nowhere near that size; the damned siege of the city was the focus of the story...its attrition of patience, health, reason on both sides; Paris's and Achilles' demise; the love story of Achilles (!).
Further: that horse was so ugly no one in their right mind would have brought it into the city!
The costumes (blue on both sides) were ill-thought out. Likewise the combat equipment....absolutely indistinguishable, and banal.
Acting: Brad Pitt shows Vin Diesel has competition as the wooden actor of our time. His scene with Priam, in the tent after the killing of Hector, was an acting lesson in how NOT to express emotion, i.e. tics, looking away and repeatedly moving the side of your mouth down, arching eyebrows, etc.
Peter O'Toole reinforces the opinion that his best work peaked thirty years ago in "Lord Jim." Now, his one expression besides woeful, hang-dog, is wide-eyed blankness. In short, his appearance is what one commonly finds around posh Palm Springs' hotel pools: septuagenarian males attempting to look forty-ish.
One important point: pay strict attention to the first Achilles battle action. It is a memorable set-piece, reminiscent of Paul Newman and Harrison Ford moments...(can you figure it out?).
Anyhow, it was entertaining, in a mindless summer-film way.
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Topic - Thank God they called it "Troy." - tinear 14:38:41 05/18/04 (5)
- Re: Thank God they called it "Troy." - ldvictory 06:36:54 05/19/04 (0)
- So, did you like it? - albee33 18:22:58 05/18/04 (3)
- Brad: not since "Brooklyn" Tony Curtis has an actor been so unintentionally - tinear 06:25:32 05/19/04 (2)
- Some mythoglogy-geek turned around to departing crowd and demanded his money back . . . - albee33 14:05:52 05/19/04 (1)
- Tacky call back with the chain line. (nt - dennzio 12:44:44 05/22/04 (0)