Troy......

I just returned from seeing the flick. Clunky dialogue and poor acting performances certainly lessened the quality, although Orlando Bloom provided a number of good laughs (unintentionally, of course). Troy is a "period film" in dress and plot only. Themes of romantic love seem more dependant upon 15th-century courtly love traditions than upon anything Greek. The gods will certainly be dissatisfied with the lip-service they get in the film--Priam's visit to Achilles, which in the Iliad only happens with the gods help is left unexplained by the film. A robust skepticism about the Greek pantheon is expressed by both Hector and Achilles. About the only content (other than the basic plot) that resembles the Greek story is the emphasis on glory and immortality. Other than that, it barely resembles (in meaning) Homer's Iliad. This isn't a criticism, per se. It is, after all, only inspired by the Iliad. However, moviegoers hoping to see Homer on film will be sorely disappointed. Of course, that will probably be about 350 people, 250 of whom live in La Mirada, California.