“Troy” is loosely based on the heroic epic “Iliad”, written by the Greek poet Homer in the 8th or 7th century BC. was written and is one of the oldest written works of fiction in Europe. The Hollywood adaptation by German “Das Boot” director Wolfgang Petersen and his screenwriter David Benioff, who is responsible for the hit series “Game Of Thrones”, ignores the mythological world of gods and refers to current world politics. Great battles, great feelings and many stars fill the screen.
“Troy” is always within your reach Netflix-Subscriptions ready to stream. If you don’t have one, you can also watch the movie from other providers such as Prime Video paid video on demand* watch or buy it on Blu-ray/DVD:
Unfortunately, no subscription includes the Director’s Cut, which is about half an hour longer and has a total running time of 195 minutes, including the credits. This adds even more action to the theatrical version in the form of even more lavish fight scenes, as well as extra nudity (mainly by Diana Kruger and Brad Pitt) and political intrigue. Some characters – like Brisels played by ‘Insidious’ star Rose Byrne, Sean Bean’s Odysseus, and the King of Troy played by the legendary Peter O’Toole – get a lot more depth from the extra screen time.
This is the story of “Troy” on Netflix
The 12th century BC: King Agamemnon (Brian Cox) of Mycenae conquers large parts of Greece with the help of his best warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt). The hunter despises his master, but lives for the battles, glory and honor he brings.
It’s a matter of honor for the king himself when he sends Achilles, along with a huge army and a fleet of 1,000 ships, to free the kidnapped wife of his brother Menelaus of Sparta (Brendan Gleeson). The fact that Helena (Diane Kruger) put up little resistance when the Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom) robbed her does not bother Agamemnon. He knows that defeating the Trojans would give him complete control of the Aegean Sea.
After battles that have claimed countless lives on both sides, Achilles finally faces Paris’ brother Hector (Eric Bana), who is as intelligent as he is strong. The conflict between the two heroes will ultimately decide the outcome of the Trojan War and with it the future of the entire world known at the time…
Grand, classic (and very long) Hollywood entertainment
Certainly, “Troja” did not necessarily have to run 162, let alone 195 minutes. Nevertheless, none of them are superfluous, nor are laziness or even boredom offered. It’s just great fun to indulge in the bombast on offer here. Petersen oriented himself – not only in terms of running time, but also in terms of the scale of what he shows – on the great historical spectacles of the golden age of cinema mentioned at the outset.
Probably due to the resounding success of “Gladiator,” released only a few years earlier, the director had a mega budget of nearly $200 million, which seemed absolutely huge at the time. And you can see that in the film, which was made in Malta, on the west coast of Mexico and in the English Shepperton Studios.
Of course there is some CGI – for example in the images of the fleet. But most of what you see here was filmed in real life. The impressively choreographed audience scenes with hundreds of extras, the always authentic-looking sets, the huge Trojan horse made of wood and styrofoam and the great costumes are all inspiring.
Historically, not everything may be presented correctly and the dramaturgy or course of events of the ‘Iliad’ is only vaguely followed. But as our three and a half star MOVIE STARTS review rightly points out, Petersen certainly didn’t want to give a boring history lesson, but captivate his audience both visually and emotionally. A project that he completely succeeded. Nearly 20 years after it hit theaters, “Troy” is still very entertaining.
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