The Greek army invades the nation of Troy after a Trojan
​prince absconds with a Greek princess, sparking a great war.

ACTION/WAR

Troy (2004)

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

Written by David Benioff

Starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger,
Brian Cox, Peter O'Toole, Sean Bean, Rose Byrne,
Brendan Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, James Cosmo,
​Saffron Burrows, Vincent Regan

Based on The Iliad by Homer

Oscar Nominations - Best Costume Design

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Connor Eyzaguirre

December 26, 2018

8/10

Troy was an historical epic on par with the classics of old Hollywood. Homer's Iliad is such a larger than life tale of love, warriors, and destiny. I'd heard for years that this adaptation was less than great, and not worth the time. Considering its nearly three hour runtime flew by, I say Troy is a great movie with an unbelievable cast that transforms that epic poem into a grounded portrayal of what men with power do when they are slighted. While Brad Pitt's British(?) accent does fluctuate quite often, it doesn't take away from the sense of grandeur that accompanies the film and its cast.

The story of the Trojan War has endured for a thousand years. Helen (Diane Kruger) and Paris (Orlando Bloom) were in love, so Helen left her Greek husband, King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), and went to Troy to be with Paris. Thus, the Greek army, led by the great King Agamemnon (Brian Cox), crossed the oceans to destroy Troy for their insolence. Leading the soldiers was the legendary warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt), who had never lost a battle. The movie brings these iconic literary figures to life with incredible performances, particularly Peter O'Toole as the Trojan King Priam. There is never a dull moment, what with the constant battle scenes and three-dimensional characters. You get to decide who the heroes and villains are. Both sides have good and evil fighting with them, and the way Wolfgang Petersen leaves it up to the viewer is brilliant filmmaking.

I was honestly blown away by how epic and exciting this film was, especially after hearing bad things for over ten years. I think Troy is loaded with unforgettable performances and is definitely rewatchable, and that's high praise for a movie this long. It may not be the defining adaptation of The Iliad, but the story that exists in the movie works for the story that Wolfgang Petersen and David Benioff are trying to tell.