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by Scott Juba Published: May 15, 2004
Ever since Ridley Scott's brilliant epic, "Gladiator", I have been anxiously waiting for another period piece set in ancient times to live up to "Gladiator's" standard of excellence. Unfortunately, and contrary to my expectations, "Troy" fails to do this. When compared to "Gladiator", "Troy's" acting isn't as dazzling, its story isn't as compelling, and its battle sequences aren't as enthralling. That said, however, "Troy" is an adequate re-telling of Homer's famous tale. On its simplest level, "Troy" is an entertaining and visually lush action epic that intertwines love, war, revenge, and betrayal. On a more significant level, "Troy" serves as a commentary on the consequences that war has on families, nations, and friendships. The heart of the story lies in the fact that none of the men on either side of the conflict, with the exception of King Agamemnon (played to perfection by Brian Cox), can be considered villains. For the most part, they are all honorable men who are simply fighting from different perspectives. Achilles (Brad Pitt) is a rogue Greek soldier who is hoping to be remembered throughout the ages for the courage and bravery he exhibits in battle. Hector (Eric Bana) is a fierce Trojan prince and warrior who fights to defend the honor and safety of Troy at all costs. Even Paris (Orlando Bloom), the youthful Trojan prince who set the war into motion by rescuing/stealing Helen from Sparta, cannot be viewed in an entirely negative light. His love for Helen is true, and his intentions are noble. Moreover, there is no doubt that Helen enjoys a better life in Troy than she did in Sparta. Therefore, when the opposing sides clash in battle, it is difficult for the audience to take sides, especially in the climactic fight between Achilles and Hector. In this way, the story takes on a multi-layered complexity that manages to keep the audience interested in the fate of the characters. Yet, despite the audience's interest in the characters, from an emotional perspective, "Troy" is surprisingly flat. "Troy" engages viewers mentally but not emotionally. When a character dies, the audience understands the significance of the death but feels no sense of loss. The only scene that conveys any true emotion comes when King Priam (Peter O'Toole) asks Achilles to return the body of his slain son. O'Toole's heartfelt performance in this scene is genuinely gut-wrenching, and may very well earn him an Oscar nomination at year's end. It is also in this scene that O'Toole's character delivers the most profound line of dialogue in the entire film, telling Achilles that even enemies can show respect for each other. Although O'Toole is by far the standout, the other actors give decent portrayals of their characters as well. There is nothing outstanding about the performances of Pitt, Bana, and Bloom, but they fit their roles well and deliver respectable performances. Newcomer Diana Kruger proves to be the right choice for the role of Helen. She has a glowing on-screen radiance that almost makes the notion of men fighting a war over her seem believable. While the film never materializes into the classic epic that many hoped it would be, if you're simply looking for an enjoyable way to spend three hours at the movies, "Troy" is a sure bet. Overall Grade: B On the Web Official Web Site | Sirlinksalot |
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