Troy, based on Homer - 8.5 out of 10

Troy, based on Homer
8.5 out of 10


Troy is spectacular, often mesmerizing and mostly a pleasure to watch, although it does not deliver the joy promised by one of the best works of humanity as source of inspiration.

Granted, with all the divine cast and heroic original material, it is a daunting task to transfer such a narrative on the big screen.
On many levels it is an accomplishment to be cheered.

For audiences that are in large part - we may fear how big the segment is - unfamiliar with the masterpiece of Homer, Troy would set the outline and would encourage some to read the Iliad and then even more, if this is not wishful thinking.
The cast is absolutely resplendent and if none of the actors has his best performance on this set, still, as a team effort this motion picture is memorable.

The pretext of the huge clash - and there is a beautiful display of ships, weaponry, war chariots that are well choreographed and often credible - is the recovery of beautiful Helen aka the radiant Diane Kruger from the clutches of Paris aka Orlando Bloom.
The battles have many stages and intricacies, for there are animosities within the camp of allies, for instance, between Achilles aka Brad Pitt and Agamemnon aka Brian Cox.

Furthermore, there are individual confrontations between leaders of the two armies, the Greek and the Trojan ones, Menelaus fighting against Paris, Hector aka Eric Bana intervening and then thinking he is facing Achilles, he is killing the one who took his appearance, Patroclus.
The legend has it that the iconic hero has been immersed by his mother to be rendered immune to injury, but she held him by the heel.

Thus the Achilles' heel as the vulnerable, weak spot, the only place where an enemy could get at him, which might happen in Troy, but let's keep it secret, for those who have not seen it or read The Iliad.
When Achilles finds that beloved Patroclus is dead, first he kicks his servant, for, in spite of their glory, courage, determination, valor, strength, these characters had quite abominable traits, that need to be perceived nevertheless in the context of the age, slavery was a 'normal' thing and to be sexist,  abusive was to be ordinary.

Hector has to confront Achilles and he does not find the heel.

He is hence killed and furthermore, his corpse is tied to the chariot and dragged through the dust, all the way to the beach, the camp of the Greeks.
So much for the Super Hero status, the demigod and paradigm shift.

For a fascinating look on how paradigms change, I recommend Vernon God Little, or for a short take on it, the note at: realini.blogspot.com

The king of Troy, Priam aka an aged, rather far from his Lawrence of Arabia zenith master, Peter O'Toole, comes to the tent of the one who had just murdered his son.
How? Well, he knows his land better than the other side.

He kisses the hand that had dispatched his eldest child to the other side, perhaps not Hades.
And he highlights the gesture.

Priam wants to be allowed to perform tha last rituals for the late Hector.
Then we have the infamous Trojan Horse.

There are various opinions on the subject, advisors and Paris offering conflicting perspectives.
However, it is considered a gift to Poseidon and taken to the fortified city and not burned, as desired by Paris, among others.

The result?
I guess you know it, but if you don't, you have the chance to find out.