Top Greek Mythology Week – Yell! Magazine’s Editor Picks

Evil Argento’s Pick

Troy (2004)

Troy has taken a lot of flack through the years, probably because of people’s inability to believe Brad Pitt as Achilles. Somehow his pretty-boy image and rise to quick favor in Hollywood made him unbelievable as a tough-as-nails, seemingly immortal god-like warrior. How quick some of us were able to forget his role as Tyler Durden. The fact remains that he was brutal, cold-hearted, callous, bitter, lustful, prideful, vengeful, and just about any other despicable adjective you can through at him. But, we do get to see him grow as a human being. And his Achilles isn’t even the main character.

Regardless of how you feel about Pitt or some of the inaccuracies and anachronisms in director Wolfgang Petersen and writer David Benioff’s interpretation of Homer’s epic poem, the Illiad, Troy is still an orgasm for the senses. Beautiful in its landscapes, brutal and bloody in its violence, mesmerizingly white-knuckled during its battle scenes, stunning in its color and tone, captivating in its score and sound, beautiful in its choreography, splendid in its actors’ performances, and enthralling in its story. Essentially, Troy is everything the boy in men’s hearts wants in an epic movie. But that’s not all. With a few love stories in the mix, it certainly appeals to women and the romantic buried deep down inside some of us.

The film has so many climaxes and even more despicable characters, Hector being the most redeemable of them all, it’s surprising that viewers are compelled to watch. It truly says something when our best stories today are thousands of years old.

Despite the action, the decapitations, throat slittings, babies being thrown about, one-on-one battles, fires, etc., Troy remains a character-driven story with plots of revenge, deception, lust (on several levels besides sexual), greed, dominance, betrayal, honor, tradition, war, etc. The Greek Gods take a backseat in this film; however, their presence is known and they’re often referenced and slammed.

Although Troy is a tragedy and somewhat of a depressing movie as it displays the ugliness in humanity, we are left with hope for redemption.

What Greek interpretation got Jamie Lee’s lady parts all tingly?

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