Boy Troy. Saw the movie Troy on DVD a few days ago. So much money spent for so little value.

What I thought most interesting was the effort to wring the mythological (i.e. religious) aspects out of it. But if you had no idea who Achilles parents were or why Paris "won" Helen, you would be a bit puzzled. For example, does anyone really think that Paris could have attracted the most beautiful woman in the world without the divine intervention that the Illiad describes? The kid's clearly a wimp

And what's the problem with the heel, Brad? How do you know the problem without knowing about "the gods" and how they played into this.

There are references to "the gods", especially Apollo, but they are mainly references of contempt. (You get only a tiny clue that Achilles mom is Thetis, a sea nymph. but you would have had to read the book.) You have the rationalists, on the one hand, that is the Greeks, and you have the believers on the other, the Trojans. The Greeks win. King Priam looks pretty silly, even if it is Peter O'Toole (what a waste!). The Greek leaders are worldly and tough. The Trojans lose.

I don't know how you would film the Iliad with the religious/mythological aspect properly in place, although that didn't stop Peter Jackson with the Lord of the Rings. It probably wasn't impossible to do it right, provided you had some respect for the transcendent.

Then there is the anti-family aspect. Achilles is the solo pretty boy. No beard, blonde hair. Not a nice person. But clearly the best body on the screen, male or female. Then there is Hector, family man, big brother, has a beard. Achilles kills Hector.

There's not much more really to say about this huge disappointment, except what's this leaping up in the air thing that Achilles does? I haven't seen anything that strange since the Chariots of Fire hero running around the track looking straight up in the air with his mouth open.