everything you have heard about this movie is true.
... View MoreVery interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.
... View MoreThis is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
... View MoreIt is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
... View MoreThis three-hour film tells the famous story of the Trojan War fairly well between the Greeks and the Trojans. It is one of the oldest stories of mankind, already in the classical Greek texts, but has been the target of a series of bad adaptations for the cinema. "Troy" (2004) is perhaps one of the worst, focusing on muscle and testosterone (paving the way for "300", a disaster, a few years later). Here the focus is the romance between Paris and Helena, two lovers destined to suffer and to drag an entire people with them. Of course the purists will consider it another mistake, but I find this prospect happier and more satisfying than another, full of steroids and sebum to make the muscles bright. I also liked the film to have space for characters that usually end up overshadowed in other adaptations, but given the length of the film this was almost imperative (even considering the split in two episodes, thought to be on television). From the point of view of historical rigor I was also satisfied, not being an expert in classical civilizations to evaluate it in the best way. The cast has several strong names, such as Stellan Skarsgård, Daniel Lapaine, Maryam d'Abo, John Rhys-Davies and Rufus Sewell. Most actors performed their duty very well and toasted the audience with good performances. CGI and special effects are good enough to fulfill their role.
... View MoreKing Priam has a son Paris born to him. Cassandra prophecies that he would cause the end of Troy. The King leaves him on Mount Ida to die but he is found and raised by shepherd Agelaus. As an adult, he is asked to judge the beauty of Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. He chooses Aphrodite and she awards him the love of Helen of Sparta. Mycenaean King Agamemnon is also taken with Helen. Helen is kidnapped by Athenians Theseus and Pirithous. Her brother Pollux rescues her but is killed in the process. Helen's father Tyndareus, King of Sparta, blames her for his favorite son's death and decides to marry his cursed daughter off. The suitors swear an oath to unite for war against any who goes against the eventual husband's claim.It's a functional production considering the lower budget than a theatrical movie. It's well made for a TV miniseries. The longer running time also allows the story to have more complexity. There are some compelling actors here. Sienna Guillory is a competent actress although the role of Helen of Troy is a tall order as the most beautiful woman in the world. The battle of Troy has competent CGI. It's as big as can be expected under the circumstances.
... View MoreHelen of Troy is a television miniseries based upon Homer's story of the Trojan War, as recounted in the epic poem, Iliad. It stars Sienna Guillory as Helen, Matthew Marsden as Paris, Rufus Sewell as Agamemnon, James Callis as Menelaus, John Rhys-Davies as Priam, Maryam d'Abo as Hecuba, and Stellan Skarsgård as Theseus. The film is placed in the early classical period rather than the correct early Iron Age; the Greeks are shown with post-Bronze Age classical hoplite dress and arms. It also focuses more on the life of Helen herself rather than simply the Trojan War. The entire first half deals with Helen's life before Troy, and includes a number of mythological facts that other versions either gloss over or omit, such as Helen's abduction by Theseus and the actual agreement of the Greek kings to use her marriage as their peace agreement.The TV movie was set in the 13th century B.C. It started when Helen, the Olympian-born, became a dazzlingly beautiful trophy wife of Sparta's King Menelaus. Unhappy in her "marriage",she yearned for the companionship of the gorgeous young man whom she had seen only in a vision: Paris, the Prince of Troy. As luck would have it, Paris managed to "abduct" Helen and spirit her off to his homeland, where she was welcomed by his father, King Priam, despite the portents of doom from Paris' foresighted sister, Cassandra. Meanwhile back in Sparta, King Menelaus, his honor besmirched, declared war on Troy, thus beginning a ten-year conflict that would culminate disastrously in the incident of the Trojan horse. All of which greatly pleased Menelaus' covetous brother, Agamemnon, who cannily exploited the war in order to emerge as King of the Aegean. The TV movie became more of a storytelling about Helen in the first half and an action film when there was a showcase of the Trojan War in the second half.There were a number of cinematic treatments of the Helen legend,a bit more sensational violent action scenes and a number of gratuitous but enjoyable nude scenes .However,despite of these scenes,the TV movie became somewhat dull as it lacks vitality and energy.Overall,it lacks appeal and entertainment due to the fact that it is short of elements in mystery and magic.
... View MoreI enjoyed this British made for TV movie. I heard from others who are more expert than me in history, that Homer's writing was not particularly respected. The actors were very good and their performance enjoyable. The one thing that i found striking, was Sienna Guillory. Her beauty is gamine, coltish, pure and innocent, and you can see how men would loose their heads over her with love or lust. After viewing a much bigger Hollywood production of the same story where the actress looked like a dolled up Hollywood trophy wife, it was very refreshing to see someone like Sienna Guillory in the title role. It just made sense.
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