Troy (2004)

Premise: Wow, the story of the fall of Troy. Who doesn’t know this? I’ll give it a try. Paris (Orlando Bloom), Prince of Troy, has a steamy affair with Helen (newcomer Diane Kruger), Queen of Sparta, who run away to Troy together. His older brother and heir to the throne, Prince Hector (Eric Bana), chooses to protect his brother even though it will mean war for his country. The King of Sparta, Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), vows revenge and enlists the help of his brother, Agamemnon (Brian Cox), king of Mycenae. Agamemnon gathers together all the rulers and warriors of ancient Greece, including the wily king of Ithaca, Odysseus (Sean Bean), and the vainglorious Achilles (Brad Pitt).

Or, as Professor Bloedow would say, “Sing, Goddess, of the wrath of the son of Peleus [Achilles].”

Welcome to summer blockbuster season! Yes, it starts in May now. It has since Gladiator opened May 5, 2000.

I’ll tell you in advance that I have been avoiding reading other reviews of this movie until I could form my own opinion and get it out to you. Thus, if something seems familiar in this review, I’m sure it’s possible that other critics have the same opinion as me.

You know that I am a sucker for sweeping epics and historical fiction, so, of course, I was desperate to see Troy from the moment I first read about it. My anxiety and desperation were quickly dispelled by the grandeur and passion of this film.

It isn’t, however, Homer’s The Illiad. Yes, it is the basis, the source of the story, but it is not what you will find there. This film is distinctly Wolfgang Peterson’s (director) and David Benioff’s (writer) Troy.

Peterson is a master in the art of the epic storytelling (e.g. Das Boot and The Perfect Storm). There is a sumptuous magnificence to every shot, as though he breathes life itself into the film. He paces his actors out to strengthen their performances with every line. Truly, truly, he loves making movies.

Benioff’s only previous screenplay is Spike Lee’s 25th Hour. If you have seen that, then you know what I am about to say. 2 words: character development. No single character ends up where s/he began, and Benioff takes you through every single, often painstaking, step. It’s just . . . wow. He did strip the story of its mythological layer, which I will admit I missed, but he included one detail that meant the world to me. At one point, Paris’s thigh is sliced in battle. Mythologically, the cut of the thigh of a male leader symbolizes the death of a nation. That was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Some may argue that Pitt’s Achilles is a bit two dimensional, maybe even a little on the low brow side, but I thought he was spot on. Spot on to the vain, obsessive Achilles that Homer had originally envisioned. And the scene that he shares with the luminous and talented Julie Christie as Achilles’ mother, Thetis, is so telling. And watching the relationship between him and Briseis (Rose Byrne) was hot. They were fantastic together.

When it comes to Bana, can I just say that I want to marry him now? His Hector is so loving and heroic, so compassionate and fierce. Before I thought of Hector only as a warrior and a prince, but now he seems so complex and real to me.

As for Bloom, his star is on the rise. His first battle sends him into a humiliating retreat in front of Helen, and Bloom laps it up. He might, however, want to lay off the summer blockbuster/epic films. At the young age of 27, and only 14 films to his credit, the last thing he needs is to have ‘typecast’ stamped on his forehead.

Costumes, hair, and make-up were also impressive. The women’s dresses did up with two little clips on each shoulder, showing careful research. Those little details mean a lot to me.

James Horner’s score was, well, typical James Horner. A bit over the top at some points, and not at the calibre of Braveheart, but impressive nonetheless.

Oh! And Peter O’Toole as Priam, King of Troy! He was amazing. His love made me cry.

In case it comes up, it’s Men-uh-LAY-us, not Men-uh-LAOWSE. He’s not a country in south-east Asia, people.

I realize that this review is a little on the long side, but I think I’ve mentioned everything I wanted to mention. Go see it! Go see it today – don’t wait for the DVD.