Watch Troy

Troy is a big budget version of the Greek myth of Helen of Troy and the wooden horse; it is a loose adaptation of Homer's Iliad. The artistic license used in removing various elements of Homer's story has led to mixed critical reviews of the movie despite it featuring in the top 100 grossing box office hits of all time. The cast is largely made up of established Hollywood actors, including Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana.

The focus of the 2004 version of Troy is shifted from the love story between Helen of Sparta and Prince Paris of Troy; the love story is used as a plot device to maneuver Brad Pitt's Achilles into battle with Eric Bana's Prince Hector. Helen is married to King Menelaus of Sparta, but falls in love with Paris and secretly moves to Troy with him giving Menelaus's brother Agememnon the opportunity to invade Troy using the force of the armies of the rest of Greece. Knowing Troy is based in a tactically difficult region to invade Agememnon enlists the help of Achilles to lead his army.

Knowing that he is travelling to a glorious death in Troy Achilles leads the Greek army in laying siege to Troy. During a surprise attack by the army of Troy, Achilles cousin Patroclus is murdered in battle by Hector leaving Achilles vowing revenge. In a duel the next day Achilles kills Hector and declares twelve days of mourning for the dead of the battle. During the days of mourning Achilles and the Greek army construct a hollow wooden horse in which they hide and enter the city of Troy. The remainder of the Greek Army hides from the people of Troy and waits for a dark night when they open the gates to the city and let the rest of the Greek army into the city. At the end of Troy the character of Achilles is killed by a volley of arrows fired by Troy's archers; before dying he removes all the arrows but the single one in his heel, which gives rise to the myth of Achilles being killed by the single arrow in his heel.

Troy was a production of Plan B Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures and has a running time of 162 minutes, with a directors version of the film running at 196 minutes. Director Wolfgang Petersen made his name in movie production with the German submarine movie Das Boot and has gone on to direct many large budget Hollywood movies.