Troy

May the best warrior win!

Ruwini Jayawardana

The concept of making a movie out of Homer’s legendary battle poem is a good one. There is plenty of action and note worthy characters in the tale. It is sure to draw the attention of entertainment enthusiasts and scholars alike. However it is also a topic which needs to be handled carefully so that historical details are not distorted and fans are not disappointed in the way that the story and the characters have been moulded by the filmmaker.

Therefore it was a great challenge for Wolfgang Peterson when he took on the project of making a movie out of the well known historic tale that had not only been taught from generation to generation but also had been included in the university curriculum.

The action unfurls in 1193 B.C. Paris, Prince of Troy has fallen in love. However, the woman who has bewitched him is Helen, Queen of Sparta, who is the wife of King Menelaus. When Helen elopes with Paris Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon, the power-hungry king of the Mycenaeans who is eager to expand his empire through Troy to the lands of the Aegean Sea, uses Paris’ romantic slight against Menelaus as an excuse to wage an all-out war against the great walled city. Priam, King of Troy, summons his armies, led by Prince Hector, to meet Agamemnon’s forces. Troy does not yield but the seemingly unstoppable Achilles could tip the scales in Agamemnon’s favor. Soon it becomes a battle not only between two nations but a moment when two mighty war heroes meet their moment of glory and destruction.

Achilles and Hector are pitted against each other from the beginning of Troy. One is a good foil for the other due to their contrasting personalities. Both individuals are dragged somewhat unwillingly into the battle due to others’ actions. For Hector it his irresponsible brother Paris who provokes the Greeks by bringing the wife of King Menelaus to Troy. Achilles, already named as Greece’s greatest warrior, is brought into the battle so that more glory will be added to his name.

However it is not a good idea to confuse this tale with Homer’s Iliad because Troy lacks historical accuracy. Though the tale includes prominent characters like Paris, Helen, Agamemnon, King Menelaus and Odysseus, they have been thrown into the background. Troy mainly deals with the destiny of two characters: Achilles played by Brad Pitt and Hector portrayed by Eric Bana. The focus is mainly on the men folk of the tale: their encounters, emotions and plight. Women like Helen and Briseis are given less screen space. Helen may be the face that launched a thousand ships in Iliad but in Troy it is the men’s sculpted bodies which meet the eye.

Unlike movies like Gladiator, Troy fails to garner much excitement. The only time it has the viewers at the edge of their seat is in the final battle between Achilles and Hector.

Though Pitt is generally known for his charisma he fails to impress as the bold Achilles. He is too arrogant and can be provoked easily. This attitude not only irritates the viewers but also leads to his destruction. This does not tally with the image that history has carved for him. He is either hunger for bloodshed or lusting after women. You do not feel the least bit respect or sorry for him when he meets his end.

Bana once again proves his versatility. He makes a gallant Hector. The beauty of his performance not only lies in the way he presents his character but how he reflects the emotions of Price Hector’s inner turmoil of being torn between his family and his loyalty to the nation.

Watch this movie if you are a hardcore Greek myth enthusiast. Watch it to see men flex their muscles. Watch it for Bana’s stellar performance.