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Originally posted by LeslieAGD
Overall, well done movie...
This movie was very much about Achilles role and the battle scenes. If you can live with that, then it's a great movie. If you were expecting "The Illiad" in its classic form, or something similiar to every other adaptation of this story, then you may be disappointed.
For me, it started out a little rocky. I was slightly bored by the first half an hour because the storytelling was lacking (Achilles is an awesome warrior, Sparta and Troy make peace, Helen leaves with Paris, and let the war begin!).
It was slightly refreshing to see a version that wasn't really about Helen. Yes, she was the catalyst, but it was really about Agamemnon's greed. Yet, I still would have liked to have seen more of an introduction to the history of these characters and a better timeline of events. (They made it seem like the Trojan Horse was built overnight and that Troy fell 12 days after Hector's death). But, then again, if they included everything, the film would have been four hours long.
***
Yes, she does. From Sparknotes: "Achilles’ wrath at Agamemnon for taking his war prize, the maiden Briseis, forms the main subject of the Iliad."
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I couldn't remember how to spell that chick's name. I thought it was prounounced "Per-say-us" so I just kind of went off that.
I pretty much agree w/ your review. I knew the movie wasn't going to be true to the Iliad, so I wasn't disappointed like I usually am when I see a movie based on a book. I definitely agree they could have spent a little more time in the beginning developing some of the characters. I was disappointed, esp. after Hector died, about the lack of Helen and Paris' presence. I mean, they could have spent a little more time showing Paris and Helen's reaction to Hector's death, etc. And another area where I was a bit disappointed was they didn't show very much about Paris preparing to fight Menalaus...I mean, I had no idea whether or not he had even been substantially trained to fight (from the convo b/w him and Hector at the beginning on the boat where Hector asks him if he's ever fought and he says no it made me wonder what kind of training he's had).
One thing this movie did do, which really surprised me, was conflict me on who to "root for." I mean, I knew Troy was going to fall, Achilles was going to die, etc. but I was just so torn...I wanted Achilles and Hector to become friends and kill Agamemnon together or something. I don't know.
I wanted to rewrite the story I guess because the movie inspired such loyalty to both characters.