Movie Review: Troy, 2004, Edited by Clean Flicks

Troy: Sacked by the Plot & the Characters

(movies profile) Jan 7, 2006 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The movie's creators try to do too many things thematically in Troy. Troy's cinematic style is dazzling and grandiose; however, the story itself lacked heart--or an idea or theme that I could identify with. As soon as some of the main characters started to do battle I found that I didn't really feel or care much for them, except for Hector's son, (played by an infant who acts well and doesn't get nearly enough screen time.)

The film's producers attempt to create a conflicted and complex character using the mythical Achilles, played by Brad Pitt. About 3/4 of the way through the movie, I was thinking that Achilles seemed more crazy than conflicted. I wondered how he became crazy in the first place because the movie never really gives any background or explanation on why the characters do what they do. However, Brad's hair gives a consistent performance and looks beautiful throughout the movie. In fact, I gazed at it in wonder many times during the battle scenes. Battle scenes that I seem to remember seeing somewhere else... In truth, Achilles is an unlikeable character and a disappointing protagonist.

Perhaps the Troy's largest flaw is that it refuses to take sides. It has trace elements of a Shakespearean tragedy, a coming-of-age story or "bildungsroman," a romance, a morality play, and an epic. Still, it touches so lightly on each of these themes that it is impossible to watch Troy without leaving frustrated and unsatisfied.

For example, after Helen leaves her first husband for the young prince of Troy played by Orlando Bloom, she seeks to justify her part in igniting the war by telling her new love of her unhappiness in her first marriage in a few short sentences. This is just one example of how the characters in this movie draw conclusions and tell them to the audience. Instead, the film should be showing the audience why the characters feel what they do by letting the audience experience the drama along with the characters themselves. If I wanted to hear someone draw conclusions about an experience without seeing--or even hearing--about the experience itself I wouldn't be watching a movie in the first place.

In short, if you must watch Troy be prepared to see a Hollywood cliche filled with irritating and uninteresting characters.