 Troy (2004) The story, drawn from Homer's account of the Trojan War, is as hoary a tale as can be, but it's brought to life vividly, if not accurately. Who needs accuracy when you have cool shit like Brad Pitt leaping into the air and felling his gigantic, unbeatable foe with one subtle, computer-generated dip of the sword? Put down the book and pass the popcorn, nerdo! The film traces the siege of Troy by a thousand-ship Greek armada led by Agamemnon (Brian Cox), after Trojan prince Legolas (Orlando Bloom) runs off with Agamemnon's brother's wife Helen (Diane Kruger). The Greek forces are bolstered by Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Boromir (Sean Bean), though Achilles's allegiance is clouded by a greater desire to ensure an immortal name in history. The surprising thing about Troy is that it doesn't take sides—right up to the end, you're not rooting for anyone in particular; rather, you're invested in the human drama of this event that is larger than any of its participants. You sympathize with ambivalent Hector (Eric Bana) as he struggles to fight for the honor of his country, torn between nobility and practicality, with his family's safety more on his mind than any macho ideas of killin' him some Greeks. You wring your hands as Agamemnon gives orders that will surely result in hundreds of his own men being killed, simply to serve his pride … yet, you understand: he's a king. What would you do? Peter O'Toole is astonishing (a surefire Best Supporting Actor®) as Trojan king Priam, who manages to maintain his composure while watching his family come apart and his kingdom fall. It's an amazingly nuanced performance for a movie this big. Pitt is commanding and sympathetic, and frequently nude. The star of the show, though, is war, depicted in all its brutality, honor, and scope. The initial siege of Troy outdoes Spielberg's storming of Normandy, and the individual battle scenes simply thrill. There are a lot of speeches in between all the fightin', but this just allows you to catch your breath and/or stop jerking off to the most recent Brad Pitt nude scene. There is definitely some cheese—Pitt's relationship with a Trojan noblewoman is neither necessary nor memorable, and some of Wolfgang Petersen's lingering shots are just odd – but nothing really drops off into big blockbuster bullshit. Even the famous stuff (Trojan horse, Achilles's heel) is dealt with in a cool way, presented as details that cap off the dramatic arcs, instead of as major plot points in themselves. Academics will bemoan the historical liberties taken by the script (for example, they've eliminated Gandalf's role entirely), but come now, do you really think you want to sit through a microscopically faithful movie based on The Iliad? You a fuckin' fool if so!
Review by La Fée |