| Overall Grade: |
D- |
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| Story: |
D- |
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|
| Acting: |
C+ |
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|
| Direction: |
D |
|
|
| Visuals: |
C |
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|
VAGUELY 'Inspired by' the Iliad...
by Alexander (movies profile)
Apr 23, 2008
1158
of
1768 people found this review helpful
Being a great fan of mythology in general and the Iliad in particular, I was really looking forward to seeing it on film...unfortunately, I never got to see the Iliad made into film. Instead they give us 'Troy'.
I already had my fears that the Greek gods wouldn't make it into the story, and that fear has come true. Although this takes away much of the heart of the story (the Trojan war was as much between gods as it was between men) it doesn't necessarily cripple the film, although the film's condescending attitude towards omens and worship of the gods is completely out of place.
The film really messes up with all the other 'liberties' it takes with the original story. The grueling 10-year siege of Troy is suddenly reduced to a meagre two weeks. Characters that never died in the Iliad are suddenly killed off, and some characters, Agamemnon in particular, bear no resemblance whatsoever to their mythical counterparts. Add a serious dose of 'classic' Hollywood melodrama in the form of the love story between Achilles and Briseis (apparently the love story between Paris and Helena at the heart of the tale wasn't enough for the big shots) and the film becomes a travesty of the epic poem that it's 'inspired by'...
Cinematography doesn't save the movie either. The battles are blurred and rather boring when compared to Return of the King's siege of Gondor, the duels (particularly the duel between Achilles and Hector) are very posed and nonsensical and the overly bombastic soundtrack turns even the best scenes into a mockery. Visiually the film just seems to be a little 'too clean', focusing mostly on getting good shots of the scantily clad hunks (who do, I must add, present the audience with some good acting. Eric Bana in particular manages to capture the essence of Hector really well).
All in all, I think that anyone who doesn't know the original story might get some enjoyment out of this movie. Everyone who has read the Iliad should stay far, far away from this shallow attempt... |
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