Troy - A Sensible Movie

மதுரை வரலாறு, விஜயநகர் travelogueனு ரெண்டு தொடர்கள், தொடராமயே இருக்கு. எல்லாரும் அடிக்க போறாங்க. கொஞ்சம் adjust பண்ணிக்கோங்க. கூடிய சீக்கிரம் continue பண்ணுவோம்... அதுக்கு நடுவுல நேத்து பாத்த படத்தோட review.

I should say, Troy, was a complete surprise package, after having read the abridged version on Homer's Iliad in school. I expected a war of the Men & Gods; Gods coming now and then throwing spells on armies; Achilles(pronounced அகிலீஸ்), who could not be wounded anywhere on his body except his heel etc. Something on the lines of Mahabharata or Lord of the Rings. Things (like triumph of hope against fate, do your duty and have faith in the gods, the gods will guarantee you results..., basically reinforcing the so-called 'old values') I don't believe in/agree with but nevertheless, love watching.

But what turned out was the exact opposite. (And that partly explains why the movie is not a blockbuster like Gladiator or LOTR.) First and foremost, no Gods come into picture... Achilles coolly beheads the Apollo statue and the Trojan's keep saying, 'Apollo will bring about his doom' but nothing happens.... When the priests say that the king need not fear, since the city is guarded by Apollo, Hector asks 'How many battalions does your Apollo command?'... and finally Achilles doesn't get killed because of the arrow in his heel, but rather coz of lots of other arrows piercing his heart... Hector who knows he can't win against Achilles and doesn't do any wishful thinking or expect the gods to help him (a smart-ass commented, 'this guy is going to fight without morale, how would he win?', 'buddy, soldiers and troops need morale, not great warriors. They can give their best with their eyes closed and dreaming about Sharapova')

ok. Enough of my atheism and Ayn-Randism(err.. objectivism, rite?) the fight between Hector and Achilles is a treat to watch... again not because of the special effects like Neo vs. Smith ... not a fight of immortal men with special gifts from gods, but rather two homo sapiens fighting, who are the best of the breed. not a fight of fierce super-human blows and dramatic comebacks... but the agility and speed and simplicity of the fight has you on your seats edge.(ok.. too old a phrase, but couldn't think of anything else)

some breath-taking views of troy. definitely better than Rome in Gladiator. nicely done. though the 1000 ships stand out as graphics.

and the actress playing Helen, definitely not a face that would launch a ship, let alone launch a 1000.

b4 going to the movie, I read reviews which said the scene where king Priam comes to beg for Hector's body is one of the most touching scenes in recent years. didn't cut much ice with me. but I am cold-hearted ******* anyway...

and then one could help seeing Legolas and Boromir, instead of Paris and Odysseus. Thank god(?), Viggo Mortenstein or Hugo Weaving didn't play any role.

last and the best, the dialogues are terrific(at least the kind I like). for a sample

Agamemnon : Achilles cannot be controlled!

Odysseus : You don't have to control him, you have to unleash him

The whole movie is full of such dialogues(அனல் பறக்கும் வசனங்கள் ;)

The movie ends with a disclaimer 'Inspired by Homer's Iliad'. It had to be done, considering the considerable number of changes in the story like Paris not getting killed, Menelaus getting killed, Paris is a good-hearted lover-boy rather than the evil-villain, Patrocolous is Achilles' cousin rather than friend.... I don't understand why some of these changes had to be done.


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