Orlando Bloom - Troy III: Orlando! Take Him! He's Yours!

P Y R O · 05-13-2004, 08:08 AM

Troy has opened in some parts around the world, like Australia and the Philippines. It opens May 14 in North America.

Orlando plays Paris, Hector's wimp loverboy of a brother.

Carry on.

~*~Celebriän~*~ · 05-13-2004, 08:23 AM

I can't believe that this is the second movie that comes out in Germany even before the US release. Is this a parallel universe by any chance?

dawsonandjo1 · 05-13-2004, 12:42 PM

Ok I saw the spoiler pic and I'm a little confused. Is Orlando's character killed in the movie?

*Anni* · 05-13-2004, 02:48 PM

w00t w00t! I'm going to see it tomorrow!!

*takes Orlando and runs away*

- Sudy - · 05-13-2004, 04:29 PM

I love the title.

*runs after Anni* I want a piece of him too!

supergirlhero · 05-13-2004, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsonandjo1
Ok I saw the spoiler pic and I'm a little confused. Is Orlando's character killed in the movie?

Do you want me to PM you the answer? I'm afraid to post a spoiler here.

dawsonandjo1 · 05-13-2004, 10:10 PM

supergirlhero- Please PM me. Thanks

~~*Mima_Mimz*~~ · 05-13-2004, 10:17 PM

*runs after Anni and - Sudy -*

Hey share!!!!

trash addict · 05-14-2004, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by supergirlhero
Do you want me to PM you the answer? I'm afraid to post a spoiler here.

Xan, policy on spoilers now it's opened? Because I REALLLLLLLY want to talk about it. And I don't know specifically what time it will have been released everywhere else.

Black Mary Cash Sparrow · 05-14-2004, 12:36 AM

I

the title of this thread!!! I can't wat to see Troy, I've been watching the trailers and drooling all over my keyboard sice...I don't know, February or something...

I have no idea when the movie comes here, though, since I live in a very small town and we don't even have a "real" cinema...

supergirlhero · 05-14-2004, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by trash addict
Xan, policy on spoilers now it's opened? Because I REALLLLLLLY want to talk about it. And I don't know specifically what time it will have been released everywhere else.

I know how you feel hun. I vented at my LJ

trash addict · 05-14-2004, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by supergirlhero
I know how you feel hun. I vented at my LJ

lol good idea. i'll havw to remember to put a spoiler alert at the top of my entry.

God it was good.

supergirlhero · 05-14-2004, 01:34 AM

Ditto

Have you seen the May 17 issue of Time? Nice Troy spread.

*Anni* · 05-14-2004, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by - Sudy -
I love the title.

*runs after Anni* I want a piece of him too!

NOO!

He's mine. *squeezes Orlando*

He said so!! *points at Xan*

P Y R O · 05-14-2004, 06:14 AM

Just put spoiler space to be sure. For a week or so. Like I'm about to do.

SPOILERS!

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It was very good. Very very good. But it wasn't great. There was something missing from it that prevented it from being great. The tragedy was definitely there, as was the epic scope. The acting was generally good (more later). But somehow... the heart was missing from the endeavor. The pathos seemed... missing. Or lacking.

Characterization was almost like how I remembered it in the Iliad (which I don't completely recall, to be honest). Achilles was the proud and selfish jock (in modern terms), who played not for the team, but for himself. Agamemnon was the proud king, played to slimy perfection by Brian Cox. Odysseus was the smart king, knowing when to hold back. And Paris was a sad pathetic boy in a game of men.

There were amazing moments in the film. The one that sticks out most was the moment between Hector and Paris before the latter fights Menelaus. Paris isn't as focused on the fight as Hector is, and there's a moment when Hector forces Paris to come to his senses, and Paris just looks like a little boy playing a man's game... which is exactly what Paris is. The fight itself exposed how pathetic Paris is, and kudos to Orlando for pulling it off.

The acting. Eric Bana as Hector and Peter O'Toole as Priam stood out in the cast, giving generally controlled and "classy" performances in every scene... as their character requires. As I said, Orlando Bloom pulled off Paris well enough, though he seemed to have a variation of just one or two facial expressions. It worked for the most part, though. Brian Cox as Agamemnon was pure sleazy, slimy goodness. Sean Bean gave an excellent and controlled performance as Odysseus... in fact, he was the only Greek (meaning non-Trojan) who seemed... human and real. As for Brad Pitt... maybe it's how the character was created, but there was something lacking in his performance. It seemed so one-note. Oh! And the women did well considering their roles, with props to whoever played Andromache.

Which takes me to the look of the film. I loved the costumes, particularly that of the Trojans... that shade of blue is heavenly! Achilles looks too perfect. I realize he was the greatest warrior of that time, but there's no need to make him look like the first metrosexual epic action hero. (Paris isn't counted. He's a metrosexual, alright, but he's a wimp, so he's not an epic action hero.) And yes, there were times when Paris looked much prettier than Helen; you'd think Menelaus was just jealous that he had perfect hair. And apparently, the figures of the gods and idols were more... Egyptian looking that your typical Greek. Of course, Troy is in modern-day Turkey... but... well... still.

Production was very very pretty, though the direction threw me off every now and then with these weird jump cut close-ups. The effects were certainly grand, but occassionally grainy (unless it was just the film quality). And the music was nice... "Remember" was an excellent song.

The movie occassionally - or frequently, I haven't read the book in a while - deviates from the material. It's actually quite choppy at the start... and for people unfamiliar with ancient warfare, it's going to be unclear why the two sides frequently stop fighting abruptly or just let two people duel at some point.

What I liked about it most was how the sense of tragedy stood out. The whole Trojan War seemed pointless, and in reality, it probably was. Paris steals Helen - it could have ended there. Menelaus wants Helen back. Agamemnon uses this as an excuse to extend his empire. Achilles throws a hissy fit and refuses to fight. The Greeks, in fact, are very selfish in their motives that it's a wonder they even managed to conquer/destroy Troy (though of course Menelaus, Achilles, and Agamemnon all end up dead, as befitting as Greek tragedy). Odysseus is the most level-headed of the Greeks, and it's no surprise he's the lone survivor (among the greats, anyway).

It's a very good movie as a whole, and I'll be watching it again, but it's not a great movie. It could have been better, but this is really good, in any case.

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SPOILERS!

That's my review of Troy. I'm sure I missed a few here and there, but I'll try to cover them in another post after my next viewing(s).