Troy (R)

Violent, watered-down version of The Iliad.

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Common Sense rates it
3
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Bros., Warner Bros.
  • Directed By: Wolfgang Peterson
  • Cast: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom
  • Running Time: 163 minutes
  • Release Date: 05/14/2004
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 01/04/2005
  • Genre: Drama
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: graphic violence and some sexuality/nudity

Parents need to know

Parents need to know the movie has almost-constant battle violence with graphic and brutal injuries. The weapons include knives, swords, spears, arrows, and fire. Many characters are killed. The movie also has sexual references and situations and brief nudity. A virgin priestess is made available to the soldiers for rape as part of the spoils of war, but this is unacceptable to one of the warriors.

Families can talk about how this story has continued to be vital and meaningful for generations throughout the centuries. Which elements of the story are relevant to contemporary conflicts? The treatment of prisoners? The role of advisors? Achilles was given the choice between a happy life and eternal fame. Why did he decide in favor of glory? What did he mean by saying that the gods envy us because we are mortal?

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Characters drink wine.

Violence

Extreme, intense, and graphic battle violence with swords, knives, spears, and fire, many characters brutally killed.

Sex

Sexual references and situations including threesome, reference to rape, nudity.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

Prince Paris (Orlando Bloom), son of King Priam (Peter O'Toole) of Troy, steals the wife of King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) of Sparta: Helen (Diane Kruger), the most beautiful woman in the world. Menelaus and his brother, Agamemnon (Brian Cox) take the Greeks (including Brad Pitt as Achilles) to war against Troy, partly because of Helen, but more because it is an excuse to conquer the Trojans.

Is it any good?

3

The Iliad is a story about love, honor, betrayal, fate, ambition, and of course, hubris -- the adventure of the best warrior there ever was or will be. This movie is the watered-down, greatest hits, Classic Comics version. It's mostly about the fighting. And Achilles doesn't rage so much as pout and glower.

Aside from two key scenes centering on Achilles, TROY is uneven and unsatisfying. The dialogue is as inconsistent as the accents, with modern pronouncements like "we need to talk" and "do it!" alternating with ponderous approximations of classical meter. In an attempt to make one of history's greatest epic sagas manageable on screen, the movie tells us both too much and too little about what is going on and keeps reminding us about everyone's passion for a place in history but does not show us enough about who the characters are and why their destinies are so entangled.

Other choices

The Iliad (the Robert Fagles translation)
the Helen of Troy miniseries
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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 26 reviews.

0


Posted on 07/05/08 by peapod1 Kid contributor, age 14

bad beyond belef

this movie has not one good thing about it. It should not have been made. Do not see this film.
4


Posted on 04/01/08 by mudkip7 Kid contributor, age 10

OH GOD

i love the greeks i am an expert i know everything about the greek gods,so when i heard of this movie i gave no thought to the fact that it was rated R i just rented it and saw it. it was my first rated R movie so didnt know what to expect.TO SEXUAL.i liked it otherwise.
4


Posted on 12/04/07 by Julie3000x Kid contributor, age 14

Brad Pitt was soooo hot in this.

I knew i had to see it once i found out brad pitt and orlando bloom were in it. *sigh* so many hot guys so little time. In all honesty though i found that the plot was lacking.
4


Posted on 10/14/07 by ovechkin Kid contributor, age 14

was an overall good movie

I watched this movie in the 6th grade and i thought that it was a great action packed movie with lots of battle scenes. I would recommend this movie especially if you liked the lord of the rings.
0


Posted on 07/06/07 by jcsoblonde Kid contributor, age 16

dont watch it...

This is NOT a good movie. I am an action movie person...particularly the historical action. (Not all those stupid pointless action movies set in modern-day...BLEH) So I was pretty excited about this when I hear about it. BUT...they had to do it. I mean really! WE JUST CANNOT HAVE A GOOD MOVIE WITHOUT THOSE SEX SCENES! Good grief. I am glad I didn't buy it. And I know, so many people say "Its life, sex happens BLAH BLAH BLAH..." That does NOT mean we show it on SCREEN! Sex is a private thing, and we should not fill up our minds with such garbage as everyone sleeping around with everybody (like in this movie) I could preach but I wont as this is a review...but really its desensitizing. Also there was quite a bit of violence...and BRAD PITT??? Dont make me laugh. I had to turn off the movie anyways because nudity was slap in your the face- like, the first scene! I read the synopsis on wikipedia, but don't waste your money. Get something good for your kids, and yourself! People don't walk around naked in real life, and kids should NOT be getting used to seeing it. This probably would have been a great movie otherwise. My rule for movies is "if it has sex scenes, too much gore and swearing, out it goes." Its too bad cuz this could have been so good...its a great story, I have the book and its a cool movie idea...Gladiator is a good sword movie if you want one though personally, there is a bit too much blood...but watch that instead of this.
5

Posted on 04/22/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

A+

I adore this movie. Even if it has sex, you've got to be mature about it. It happens. And violence, if you think this movie has a lot of blood, watch 300! There's a gigantic splash of blood every half-a-second! But anyway, maybe not for 12-, but for 13+, great!
4


Posted on 03/26/07 by munstergirl Kid contributor, age 13

this movie mad me cry and laugh

this movie was quite violent but well put togehter i especially like the story between paris and helen i think orlando bloom played his part well and so did Brad Pitt. i would definatley see this film again Orlando and Brad looked sooo hot in skirts buffnessssss. overall it was good i recommend it to people who like these actors and war movies
3

Posted on 12/22/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 15

WHOA

This movie is in your face for the whole time you watch it. From the moment you sit down the movie has you riveted on the TV screen. Only porblem you don't want to let anyone under 15 or 16 to watch this. Loads of fighting, lots of sex and tons of blood. You don't want to let anyone who has a quessy stomache watch this film.
3

Posted on 11/11/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Awesome

This really is one of the best movies ever. 16+ is not fair. You and your kids will enjoy watching this. It will really catch a young eye and you can talk to your kids about what heppens in the movie and they will be fascinated. Trust me. OK for kids 9+
4


Posted on 11/01/06 by Rachel D Adult contributor

Epic love story

This movie greatly impressed me with it's awesome and sweeping battle sequences and the character development that left you feeling sorry for almost everyone. It was an incredible masterpiece and one you can watch over and over again.

See all 26 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 6 reviews.

3

Posted on 11/11/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Awesome

This really is one of the best movies ever. 16+ is not fair. You and your kids will enjoy watching this. It will really catch a young eye and you can talk to your kids about what heppens in the movie and they will be fascinated. Trust me. OK for kids 9+
4


Posted on 11/01/06 by Rachel D Adult contributor

Epic love story

This movie greatly impressed me with it's awesome and sweeping battle sequences and the character development that left you feeling sorry for almost everyone. It was an incredible masterpiece and one you can watch over and over again.
3


Posted on 08/25/05 by mediadiva Adult contributor

gorey

Brad Pitt looks great in this movie.. but back to the movie, not so great. some really cheesy lines ruin any potential some scenes have. doensn't follow the original story of Troy.. could've been, but wasn't
2

Posted on 05/21/04 by Anonymous Adult contributor
3

Posted on 05/19/04 by Anonymous Adult contributor

The Iliad lite

Okay, not great movie...
2

Posted on 05/17/04 by Anonymous Adult contributor

at least my kid learned about homer

this movie was basically a repeat of lord of the rings. battle after battle which pleased my 10 year old son. a guy gets his throat cut and there's tons of blood and brad pitt's naked tush. Otherwise it's no more or less than any of the lord of the rings movies. My husband's favorite line was Will this never end? But the boys loved it. I appreciated it because we came home, brought out the oddysey and the iliad and talked about who homer was and the real trojan war. The next day my son showed one of his friends a copy of the iliad and said,"did you know that this is all one poem?" So not a total loss.

Kids Reviews

There are 20 reviews.

0


Posted on 07/05/08 by peapod1 Kid contributor, age 14

bad beyond belef

this movie has not one good thing about it. It should not have been made. Do not see this film.
4


Posted on 04/01/08 by mudkip7 Kid contributor, age 10

OH GOD

i love the greeks i am an expert i know everything about the greek gods,so when i heard of this movie i gave no thought to the fact that it was rated R i just rented it and saw it. it was my first rated R movie so didnt know what to expect.TO SEXUAL.i liked it otherwise.
4


Posted on 12/04/07 by Julie3000x Kid contributor, age 14

Brad Pitt was soooo hot in this.

I knew i had to see it once i found out brad pitt and orlando bloom were in it. *sigh* so many hot guys so little time. In all honesty though i found that the plot was lacking.
4


Posted on 10/14/07 by ovechkin Kid contributor, age 14

was an overall good movie

I watched this movie in the 6th grade and i thought that it was a great action packed movie with lots of battle scenes. I would recommend this movie especially if you liked the lord of the rings.
0


Posted on 07/06/07 by jcsoblonde Kid contributor, age 16

dont watch it...

This is NOT a good movie. I am an action movie person...particularly the historical action. (Not all those stupid pointless action movies set in modern-day...BLEH) So I was pretty excited about this when I hear about it. BUT...they had to do it. I mean really! WE JUST CANNOT HAVE A GOOD MOVIE WITHOUT THOSE SEX SCENES! Good grief. I am glad I didn't buy it. And I know, so many people say "Its life, sex happens BLAH BLAH BLAH..." That does NOT mean we show it on SCREEN! Sex is a private thing, and we should not fill up our minds with such garbage as everyone sleeping around with everybody (like in this movie) I could preach but I wont as this is a review...but really its desensitizing. Also there was quite a bit of violence...and BRAD PITT??? Dont make me laugh. I had to turn off the movie anyways because nudity was slap in your the face- like, the first scene! I read the synopsis on wikipedia, but don't waste your money. Get something good for your kids, and yourself! People don't walk around naked in real life, and kids should NOT be getting used to seeing it. This probably would have been a great movie otherwise. My rule for movies is "if it has sex scenes, too much gore and swearing, out it goes." Its too bad cuz this could have been so good...its a great story, I have the book and its a cool movie idea...Gladiator is a good sword movie if you want one though personally, there is a bit too much blood...but watch that instead of this.
5

Posted on 04/22/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

A+

I adore this movie. Even if it has sex, you've got to be mature about it. It happens. And violence, if you think this movie has a lot of blood, watch 300! There's a gigantic splash of blood every half-a-second! But anyway, maybe not for 12-, but for 13+, great!
4


Posted on 03/26/07 by munstergirl Kid contributor, age 13

this movie mad me cry and laugh

this movie was quite violent but well put togehter i especially like the story between paris and helen i think orlando bloom played his part well and so did Brad Pitt. i would definatley see this film again Orlando and Brad looked sooo hot in skirts buffnessssss. overall it was good i recommend it to people who like these actors and war movies
3

Posted on 12/22/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 15

WHOA

This movie is in your face for the whole time you watch it. From the moment you sit down the movie has you riveted on the TV screen. Only porblem you don't want to let anyone under 15 or 16 to watch this. Loads of fighting, lots of sex and tons of blood. You don't want to let anyone who has a quessy stomache watch this film.
5


Posted on 09/19/06 by yugiohsux Kid contributor, age 12

I do not think this is appropriote for any kids under 15

It's ALL BECAUSE OF THE SEX. The violence isn't anything the average kid hasn't seen before but I don't recommend showing it to a 10 year old. It was an EXCELLENT movie, but I think that it is not for people whom are under 15. unless you are mature.
4


Posted on 02/04/06 by Yankeeman242003 Kid contributor, age 17
See all 20 kids reviews >
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