Troy

Just got back from the premiere.
There were some really great pieces. The appetizers were perfectly timed—to be honest, they really hit the spot for my hungry stomach. The champagne was quite good, and the wine—some Pinot—was decent enough.

They actually interviewed me for a quick soundbite. If you see someone looking a bit awkward while trying to give a smart comment with a mouth full of food 😁, that was me.

The film 🙏

It was a Hollywood spectacle at its finest. Impressive, grand, and clearly expensive.
The cast 👍

Pieces 🙏 🙏 🙏

Doduše, the movie makes it seem like the Trojan War lasted maybe two or three weeks, but whatever.

The characterization is truly excellent. Especially with Achilles, Hector, Helen, Paris, and Menelaus... honestly, all the main characters.

The costume design and set production are outstanding.

The atmosphere was brilliantly captured.

Even though it runs nearly three hours, there aren't any "dead spots," excessive sentimentality, cheesiness, or unnecessary philosophizing.

I won't ramble on anymore; just go see this marvel for yourself. If nothing else, it would be a shame to watch a spectacle like this on a DVD.

I generally love historical epics, and this one might actually rival Brave Heart 👍

Ever since I saw that trailer where you can't even see oars on the galleys—yeah, right, historical accuracy!—I've been pretty skeptical about Troy. Looking at the cast, it feels like the producers just played it safe, and honestly, the special effects don't look anything to write home about.

I'll probably go see it, especially now that my colleague silentpilot6 gave it such a glowing review, but I’m not setting my expectations too high. As a future historian, the inaccuracies just jump out at me—it's hard to actually get lost in the story or focus on Helen and the other ladies when everything feels so off.

I am genuinely curious, though—since they're starting from the beginning of the Trojan War, did they actually show Iphigenia's sacrifice? You know, the one that had to happen just to get the entire fleet moving in the first place.

I'm heading out today... I've been skeptical this whole time, and despite how much silentpilot6 is raving about it, I'm staying just as cautious 🤔

Look, it's not that I don't trust you, but I'll be back here tomorrow to post my actual impressions 😎

If people went looking for a needle in a haystack, they’d definitely find it.

Iphigenia gets zero points from me.

If we compare it to Braveheart, which barely has any basis in actual history, I still think that movie is absolute perfection.

In Troy, 🤔 the historical context isn't exactly ignored, but I'll leave that for the historian Donna Nelson23 to weigh in on.

Personally, I thought the movie was genuinely good.

A few light spoilers ahead, just so nobody is caught off guard.

I kept waiting for the Amazons to show up more, but nothing happened.
The mythology is almost entirely stripped away from the film. Achilles is portrayed simply as an incredible warrior, not some invincible being.
I actually liked how they handled Achilles' heel.
At the end of the movie, Paris hits Achilles in the heel, and then Achilles charges toward him only to take three more arrows to the chest. Even for him, that's a bit much, but before he dies, he pulls those three arrows out of his chest—though the arrow in his heel remains. When the rest of the Greeks find him like that, you've got all the material needed for the legend of Achilles' heel.

silentpilot6
I totally get why you’d think the movie is fun.

silentpilot6 said:I was honestly sitting there waiting for the Amazons to show up, but nope, nothing.
The whole mythology thing is basically non-existent in this flick. Achilles is just portrayed as some incredible fighter rather than anyone actually vulnerable.
And man, they totally butchered the whole Achilles' heel thing.
At the end of the movie, Paris hits Achilles in the heel, then Achilles charges at him and takes three arrows straight to the chest. Even for a guy like him, that’s overkill, but right before he kicks the bucket, he actually pulls those three arrows out of his chest—though he's still left with that arrow in his heel. Then the rest of the Greeks find him like that, and boom, there's your "material" for the legend of Achilles' heel.

But seriously, what you’re describing has absolutely zero to do with the Iliad. 😢

To circle back to Brave Heart-Bitak regarding Stirling—it has absolutely nothing to do with the actual Battle of Stirling. In fact, it’s not even close.

Wallace never actually met an English princess, let alone fathered a child with one.
He was an outlaw and a killer, a bandit 😬 long before his wife—or girlfriend, it's unclear which—was ever killed.

Want more? 😁

Even with those inaccuracies, the movie is still LAW.

silentpilot6
Look, I’m not even talking about historical accuracy regarding what went down at Troy. It’s totally obvious you can't just "literally" transplant everything onto a movie screen—you know, the actual gear, the specific armor, the ships, how they actually fought, the clothes and all that... and honestly, come on, I'm fine with that.

I also totally agree that movies based on existing stories usually need some tweaks to work.
But we're talking about the Iliad here; it's an epic, a legend, a story that's been legendary for thousands of years.
All these rewrites you're mentioning? To me, it just feels like yet another Hollywood spectacle gone wrong.

I just don't get what this movie would actually lose—unlike those other "historical" flicks—in terms of action, pure spectacle, or being engaging... if they had just stuck closer to what Homer actually wrote.

I'm heading out to catch it today, honestly can't wait🙂

Kevin King52 said:I honestly fail to see what this movie would have sacrificed in terms of action, sheer spectacle, or engagement if it had actually stuck closer to Homer's original vision.

Precisely. I am in complete agreement. Same here. Etc., etc... 🙂

silentpilot6 said:They interviewed me for a local news segment. If you ever see someone looking like a total amateur, trying to sound smart while they struggle to get their words out because their mouth is full—well, 😁that’s probably me.

By the way, what exactly is a "news segment"? 😕

I agree they could have, or rather, they should have 😁, thrown in some attractive and fun Amazons in little leather dresses 🙂, just to drag the war out a bit longer. They really could have done anything...

Personally, I actually appreciate that the gods don't show up directly or manipulate human fates—at least not overtly. Sure, there's the whole "Come on-Achilles" dynamic with his mother, but even that is worth discussing.

Everything is presented in a way that shows how things could actually happen without direct divine intervention. Over time, the epic took on a mystical quality—especially since we shouldn't forget that Homer lived several centuries later and wrote based on the legends and traditions of his own era. People began attributing certain events to divine influence that wasn't actually there. That is, unless you believe in Zeus and Apollo.😁

This is perfectly illustrated by the example of Achilles' heel mentioned above.

They are all just mortals, flesh and blood people who believed—or didn't believe—in divine influence, much like how we believe or don't believe that things happen according to God's will. It was only with the passage of time that famous Greek myth was woven into the entire narrative.

Anyway, let me know what you all think.

silentpilot6 said:Just got back from the premiere.
There were some really solid pieces in there. The appetizers actually lived up to the hype—or rather, my starving stomach. Champagne was totally fine, and the wine—some Pinot—was decent enough.

...true...and you could even get up from the table easily, no shoving required...

The movie🙏

A Hollywood spectacle at its finest. Impressive, massive, and expensive.
The cast👍

The pieces🙏 🙏 🙏

....true...

Doduše's piece—it turns out the Trojan War lasted about 2-3 weeks in the film, but whatever.

...to me, it felt more like it lasted two or three days...but hey, whatever works for them 😁

The characterization is actually great. Especially with Achilles, Hector, Helen, Paris, and Menelaus... basically all the leads.

The costumes and set design are excellent.

The vibe is spot on.

..yeah...

Even though it's nearly 3 hours long, there aren't any "dead spots," too much melodrama, cheesiness, or pointless philosophizing.

...were we watching the same movie?...😕...everything was fine until they started opening their mouths...so much dialogue trying to be 'lofty and divine,' then that bit with Helen—like, 'damn, I'll just surrender, it's my fault the war started'...blah, blah...🙂
...honestly, the worst part of the movie is when the dialogue kicks in...sure, it's Troy, but isn't this a bit much?

...still, the movie deserves a passing grade...

silentpilot6, missed you at the premiere😁
Doduše's piece, once the credits rolled and I saw all those camera-hungry people stuffing their faces, I realized I had broccoli with gorgonzola waiting for me at home. I thought about how they'd capture everyone rushing out of Hall 1, and honestly, I just headed straight home without even tasting the wine.

As for the movie itself...
The fight scenes were fantastic. Brad Pitt definitely earned extra points there; he made jumping two meters in the air to plunge a knife into some giant's neck look completely effortless. For the most part, they did a great job with Troy—no complaints regarding the warfare.
Since I grew up devouring those Greek myths and war stories, I had certain expectations. I won't say what, but Americans just don't seem to "get" Greek mythology.

There wasn't a single intimate scene or dialogue that actually moved me. Nothing really touched my heart.
If they had given that much production money to the Italians, they might have actually created a masterpiece.
I'm not saying the film isn't spectacular—everything looked great—but it left me feeling indifferent.

And another thing: it felt like they just showed up to camp outside Troy for a month. They deconstructed Odysseus's character so much 🙄 that it took forever to realize he's the one convincing Achilles that the fight is necessary.

In my opinion, Americans should stick to making their own Armageddon, Man in Black, and Godzilla, and leave ancient mythology to someone who actually knows the Greek language.

Anyway... the film isn't bad.

But could it have been better? It certainly could have.

@Jonathan Palmer, looks like even the locals have high-speed access these days 😲 😲 😲

Everyone keeps talking about mythology this and mythology that. Personally, I actually love how they completely tossed the mythology out the window. Like I mentioned earlier.
That’s just what happens when I accidentally hit caps lock without realizing it. 😁

The dialogue isn't exactly Oscar-worthy, but it's easy to follow and isn't, at least not overly, 😁 pretentious.
If they had included more sex—well, they should have. We all wanted to see Helen's curves.

Besides, why would Helen be some loose woman? It's all about love and those intense feelings. 😁
But I'm a hopeless romantic, so I found it all perfectly fine. 👍

It's true that Odysseus feels a bit trivialized, but whatever.

A quick summary.
If you are looking for Greek mythology, you won't find it here. However, if you're interested in how all of this *could* have actually happened—and I emphasize "could"—then you won't be disappointed.
As for a historical spectacle—it definitely delivers on that front.
Regarding the dialogue—as I stated above.

There is plenty of romance and themes of grand, boundless love. Romantics, enjoy yourselves. 😁

The battles are epic, and the music is excellent.

I mean, what else would you expect from a Hollywood spectacle?
It's certainly not some Swedish surrealist film. 😁

silentpilot6 said:If they wanted more sex—well, they should've included it. I mean, we all want to see Helen's assets.

...but you mostly just see butts 😁 ..

...though I loved that part at the start where the kid goes into Achilles' tent while he's busy with two women... honestly, how do you even keep a guy like Brad satisfied? 😁

silentpilot6, I wasn't exactly expecting a bunch of hyper-masculine gods...
But I have to agree on one thing: this movie is perfect for the ladies. There are just so many muscular bodies and ripped torsos... it's enough to make you faint.

Though I highly doubt Achilles actually looked that attractive in his original form... 😁

Ah... that scene where they're getting ready for the fight.
Like when Brad Pitt is putting on his armor, and then they show the other guy.

Honestly, even watching them get dressed is sexy...

Good grief... what a provocative film.

fadedsailor932 said:...but you can still see her backside 😁 ..

...though I personally enjoyed the beginning where she comes to Achilles' tent while he's busy lounging with two women... it isn't easy to keep a guy like Brad satisfied...😁

What if one of those women was actually supposed to be Patroclus?😁

Jonathan Palmer said:silentpilot6, I wasn't exactly expecting gods with muscles like that...
But I have to agree on one thing: this is the perfect movie for women. There are so many muscular bodies with incredible physiques... it's enough to make you faint just looking at them.

Though I highly doubt Achilles actually looked that attractive in his original form...😁

Ah... that scene where they are getting ready for the fight.
When Brad Pitt is putting on his armor, and then they show the other guy.

Honestly, they're sexy even when they're just getting dressed...

Good grief... what a provocative film.

It’s a great movie for guys, too. Those three: Helen, Hector's wife—whatever her name was—and the woman who gave Achilles part two😁 are definitely my🙏 🙏 🙏

In fact, I think Hector's lady is even better looking than Helen. Granted, you can't even see her backside😢 but what can you do?

B. Pitt is a total stud in RL.😁

Actually, it would have been better if they used all that wasted money (supposedly 180 million dollars) to film the most expensive adult movie in the world, featuring various kinks along with massive epic battles. 🙂

I’d really love to see Hector's lady in a hot scene. Actually, in several hot scenes.👍

The only thing worth watching in this movie is the combat scenes... they butcher people like livestock.
Impressive... raw... no censorship or cinematic tricks... just cold, brutal violence.

The only line that actually got to me was when Achilles describes the human race.

Everything else is garbage...