Troy

[dragonlady7]

Being a native of Troy, I felt I had to go see the movie.

You know what? I thought it was great.
I went with Dave's buddy Corey, who wasn't really familiar with the books. I gave him a lot of whispered commentary. And after the film I spent a very disorganized two hours attempting to explain the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid to him.
I can say this for it: it sure beat the hell out of sitting around all night with Dave's mom, sort of awkwardly not saying anything.

But really. Sean Bean was a great Odysseus once my shock of "Boromir!" wore off. (I actually said that when he appeared.)
Orlando Bloom-- Paris was good for him. I liked their interpretation of Paris, who was never that interesting in the book. Yes, he was a twit. But y'know, he was a twit with a dreamy scraggly little goatee.

Eric Banna's eyes-- very soulful. His calves-- kinda scrawny. Oh well. Hector was always my favorite. I totally cried when Priam came to beg for his body back. And I totally dug Andromache. I always thought she was just the worst character. You know, departing from the original to have her escape-- suits me fine. I couldn't have watched the Greeks rape her and throw Hector's son from the walls. This ending was better.

Helen? Cute, but not 987-ships-launching pretty. (We counted, in ninth grade. You know, in the Iliad, Homer actually lists the ships. Yes.) Ah well.

Achilles? Damn, Brad Pitt is so damn good. It's like he invented the brooding stud. He's awesome.

From-the-book thing I was most impressed that they kept: Achilles dragging Hector's body behind his chariot.

From-the-book thing I was saddest that they lost: the scene where Hektor returns from the battle and comes, still blood-spattered and in all his armor, to see his wife and baby. Andromache holds the little boy out to him. The little boy screams and recoils, terrified of his father's high-crested helmet. Hektor laughs and takes the helmet off and sets it on the ground, and the boy is happy to recognize him.
That would have been great in a movie. Probably hard to get an infant actor to do, but dude-- CGI! Not like they didn't use it elsewhere.

Biggest fan-of-the-books fanservice moment: "You. What's your name?" "Aeneas."

Wish they'd spent a little longer on Odysseus coming up with the horse idea. I didn't really buy the him looking over at the soldier carving a little wooden horse thing.

Death of Achilles? You know, I don't even remember the circumstances of his death in the book. I know Paris shoots him in the heel. This scene, with Briseis shrieking, is not bad. And how he pulls the arrows out, so they find him with just his heel pierced-- kinda cool.
But, of course, as the arrows went thudding in, I cried out, "Boromir!" And then Orlando Bloom made his Legolas-finds-Boromir-dead face as he realizes what Briseis is doing. And I giggled. And the moment was kind of lost.

But still. Brad Pitt-- totally gets my vote. He's pretty cool. And Orlando Bloom is slightly less retarded than I thought he was. (At least he doesn't lisp in this movie.)
And Sean Bean?
Well, I totally need to watch Sharpe's Rifles now. Did I mention I'm a big fan of those books?