Troy (2004)

An adaptation of Homer's great epic, the film follows the assault on Troy by the united Greek forces and chronicles the fates of the men involved.

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers:

Homer (poem), David Benioff (screenplay)

Stars:

Julian Glover, Brad Pitt, Eric Bana

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julian Glover	...	Triopas
Brian Cox	...	Agamemnon
Nathan Jones	...	Boagrius
Adoni Maropis	...	Agamemnon's Officer
Jacob Smith	...	Messenger Boy
Brad Pitt	...	Achilles
John Shrapnel	...	Nestor
Brendan Gleeson	...	Menelaus
Diane Kruger	...	Helen
Eric Bana	...	Hector
Orlando Bloom	...	Paris
Siri Svegler	...	Polydora
Lucie Barat	...	Helen's Handmaiden
Ken Bones	...	Hippasus
Manuel Cauchi	...	Old Spartan Fisherman

Storyline

It is the year 1250 B.C. during the late Bronze age. Two emerging nations begin to clash after Paris, the Trojan prince, convinces Helen, Queen of Sparta, to leave her husband, Menelaus, and sail with him back to Troy. After Menelaus finds out that his wife was taken by the Trojans, he asks his brother Agamemnon to help him get her back. Agamemnon sees this as an opportunity for power. So they set off with 1,000 ships holding 50,000 Greeks to Troy. With the help of Achilles, the Greeks are able to fight the never before defeated Trojans. But they come to a stop by Hector, Prince of Troy. The whole movie shows their battle struggles and the foreshadowing of fate in this remake by Wolfgang Petersen of Homer's "The Iliad."

---

Plot Keywords:

troy | greek | trojan | prince | fate | 

---

Taglines:

For Honor

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic violence and some sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros [fr] Warner Bros. [jp]

Country:

USA Malta UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled 'The Illiad' Project

Filming Locations:

Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta

Box Office

Budget:

$175,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$710,941 (Hong Kong) (18 June 2004)

Gross:

$133,228,348 (USA) (13 August 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Helena Productions, Latina Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

163 min 196 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Warner Brothers rejected Gabriel Yared's score because it was too old-fashioned.

---

Goofs

When Paris enters Helen's room after dinner, he gently pulls her hair so it all lies on her back, behind her shoulders, exposing her neck. When she gets up, it is around and in front of her shoulders. It could have happened while she got up, but after a quick shot to Paris, Helen's hair is once again tucked back behind her shoulders.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Odysseus: [voiceover] Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?

---

Connections

Featured in Troy: The Passion of Helen (2004)

---

Soundtracks

"Remember"
Music by James Horner
Lyric by Cynthia Weil
Produced by David Foster
Performed by Josh Groban with Tanja Tzarovska
Josh Groban appears courtesy of 143 Records/Reprise Records

User Reviews

3.5 stars

First of all, there are no 'gods' in Troy so don't expect them. The story is quite good without them however, if you can just say 'cinematic license' and get over it. Brad Pitt does a credible job as a sensitive Achilles, but also an Achilles that knows that what's most important to him is glory and renown. The young boy that plays Patroclus (in the film he is Achilles cousin, not his lover) is very good and looks enough like Pitt that you believe they are related. Of course, He is, along with Achilles and Helen, one of only 3 blonde-haired people in the movie! Brad is beautifully buffed and we get to see most of that, so if you are female that is very good.

Sean Bean (Boromir from Fellowship of the Ring) does a nice job as Odysseus, even if his hair looks too modern and his heavy Yorkshire accent is distracting.

Helen -- oh dear, she can't act and her accent slips into heavy German rather than the cultured British it's supposed to be more times than not!

Eric Bana does a spectacular Hector and Peter O'Toole - well, even at his advanced age, he is still Peter O'Toole, brilliant as Priam and heart wrenching in a scene where he pleas for Achilles to let him bring Hector back inside the walls of Troy for a proper burial. I admit I cried and I was pleased with the way Achilles seemed to admire and even fear this frail old man, while knowing that he could kill him with one blow. O'Toole is worth seeing.

Orlando Bloom... since I loved him in Lord of the Rings, it wrenches my heart to say that in 'Troy' his facial expressions were horribly over acted. Did the director not view the rushes? If so, he should have told Bloom to turn it down, especially during some of his scenes with Helen. I was also not prepared to see him clinging to Hector's knees begging for life after running away from a hand to hand combat with Menelaus! To be honest, this Paris is a selfish, spoilt little rich prince who has been coddled by his family and knows nothing about courage or honor. It makes one wonder at Helen choosing him at all - even if he is very beautiful. Yes, Bloom looks pretty, who could deny that? But he has much to learn about acting. His saving graces for me seemed to be the opening body shot with Helen where we get to see him standing next to the bed, near naked and damp with sweat, and when he finally takes up a bow and arrow and reminds me of Legolas. It seems he's retained his archery skills from Lord of the Rings - a perfect stance, a beautiful pull to the corner of his mouth and a deadly release... but all that only serves to make you wonder why Paris couldn't use any other weapon well and why, when his brother and countrymen were going to war over his folly - he wasn't obliged to fight.

Worth seeing once at a matinee price - if only for the gorgeous choreographed battle with Pitt and Bana, the marvelous acting of O'Toole, and the scantily clad man-flesh. If none of these appeal to you, wait for the DVD.