Following the massive success of Christopher Nolan‘s blockbuster epic The Odyssey, audience interest in the myths and legends of ancient Greece has skyrocketed. Full of heroes, epic fights, dangerous voyages, and larger-than-life characters, The Odyssey is the type of mythological spectacle that Hollywood had been hesitant to make—but despite pre-release internet backlash, Nolan’s adaptation has grossed well over a billion dollars at the box office, with records being broken left and right. It’s clear that audiences have not yet had enough of ancient Greece as a cinematic setting, and for those looking to stay in that world, there is already another epic waiting for them.
2004’s Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, and Brian Cox, did not receive the near-universal praise that The Odyssey has. But more than two decades later, audiences seem to be warming up to it, with the film holding steady as the second most-streamed film on Apple TV. On the surface, it looks like the type of epic non-franchise blockbuster that audiences claim to miss and is the type of movie that is built to get people to the theater. Now that ancient Greece is back on the public’s minds, it may be the perfect time to revisit Troy and see what holds up.
Led by Brad Pitt’s Achilles, the film takes Homer’s Iliad and turns it into a tragic war epic centered on human pride, mortality, and what a person will do to be remembered throughout history. By not focusing on Odysseus, played by Sean Bean, the film also makes Troy feel like a companion piece to The Odyssey. The movies focus on two different heroes, but the friendship between Odysseus and Achilles in Troy is a crucial part of the narrative, and the movie ends at the perfect launching point for The Odyssey.
‘Troy’ Has Aged Better Than Its Original Reception Would Have Suggested
When Troy was first released, it earned mixed reviews from both critics and general audiences, who criticized it for its bloated narrative and the many creative liberties it took with Homer’s original story. Some of those criticisms were earned, but if you watch the movie today, many of the qualities that once made the movie have an old-fashioned feel are now precisely what makes it refreshing.
While Homer’s Iliad focuses on the ensemble of characters, Troy centers itself around Achilles and his quest to carve his name into the stones of history. Rather than painting him as just the skilled warrior that he is, the movie makes his awareness of his mortality the defining trait of his character. On the other side of the coin is Eric Bana‘s Hector, the leader of the Trojan military, who feels responsibility for not just himself, but his family and his country. It’s a more nuanced take on the conflict that most adaptations take, and gives Troy more complexity than its reputation as a sword-and-sandals blockbuster suggests. Achilles and the Greeks want history to remember them; Hector and the Trojans fight for those they love.
Following the death of Achilles’ cousin Patroclus at the hands of Hector, these diametrically opposed foes are led into an eventual clash of swords and shields. Their duel outside the walls of Troy stands as one of the best fight scenes of the era, with Hector showing that Achilles is, in fact, mortal, despite his eventual defeat. It’s a fight that is physical, desperate, and intimate despite the enormous scale surrounding it.
‘Troy’ and ‘The Odyssey’ Explore Different Kinds of Ancient Heroes
The presence of Odysseus in the film makes Troy especially interesting as a companion piece to Nolan’s The Odyssey. Both stories are filled with heroes, but their narratives serve as an interesting contrast in how they define heroism. Achilles is unbeatable in combat but struggles with understanding his own humanity, while Odysseus survives because he knows how to adapt and survive, not because he is the greatest warrior. Each character represents different aspects of who we consider to be a hero and what qualities we place the most emphasis on in a person.
Because of this, watching Troy after The Odyssey does more than provide viewers with another ancient Greek adventure to enjoy. It reveals a new and exciting corner of the same legendary world. Much of The Odyssey’s focus is on mythology and the destiny that the Greek gods had set humans on, and while Troy is more grounded, it shares the same fascination with fate and mortality. More than 20 years after the movie’s release, it remains a fun, if flawed, take on Greek mythology and what it means to be a hero.
For anyone looking to dive back into ancient Greece after watching The Odyssey, and spend a few more hours in the lands of Homer’s heroes, Troy remains one of the best places to go next.
- Release Date
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May 14, 2004
- Runtime
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163 minutes
- Director
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Wolfgang Petersen