Anxious to see Brat Pitt (as Achilles), Orlando Bloom (as Paris), and Eric Bana (as Hector) oiled up and sweaty in various states of undress? Then this grandly handsome $200-million swords-and-sandals epic has a whole lot to offer. Seeking a thinking-person's action movie or Homer's The Iliad brought to life? Brace yourselves for disappointment. Although screenwriter David Benioff (25th Hour) takes many liberties with the source story of the Trojan War, sparked when Paris kidnapped the Greek (married) beauty Helen, some of these changes are creative and shrewd--such as implying that Achilles' immortality is more rumor than fact (this version is devoid of mythological gods)--and his intelligent script is full of character and complexity, even if it does reduce the nine-year war to a matter of days. But Troy is a movie in which the richness on the page--Benioff doesn't take sides and has gone out of his way to substantiate the heroic, imprudent, arrogant, idealistic, loyal, naïve, or self-serving motives of every important character--gets lost in director Wolfgang Petersen's grandiose overproduction and marquee-motivated casting. Ultimately, the performances are secondary to super-sized epic-ification, leaving Pitt's studied, amazingly elegant swordplay as the film's only memorable highlight. Optional. [Note: Available in both widescreen and full screen versions, DVD extras on this two-disc edition include the production featurettes “In the Thick of the Battle” on action (17 min.), “From Ruins to Reality” on historically accurate production design (14 min.), and “Troy: An Effects Odyssey” on special effects (11 min.), as well as an interactive 3D-animated, narrated guide to a selection of Greek myths, and a trailer. Bottom line: a disappointing extras package--42 minutes worth for a two-disc set?--for a disappointing film.] (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review—Sept. 4, 2007—Warner, 2 discs, 196 min., not rated, $20.98—Making its second appearance on DVD, 2005's Troy (Director's Cut: Two-Disc Special Edition) boasts a stunning transfer Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Nearly all of the original DVD extras are ported over to this release—which adds 30 minutes for a richer film more true to Homer's original—with new extras including an eight-minute “Troy Revisited” introduction by director Wolfgang Petersen, and the 23-minute “Troy in Focus” featurette with Petersen discussing various aspects of casting and filming. Bottom line: this “Director's Cut” is well worth picking up.]
Troy
Warner, 163 min., R, VHS: $55.99, DVD: $29.95, Jan. 4 Volume 20, Issue 1
Troy
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