A bit of poetic licensing never hurt anyone

Troy is not only the retelling of an epic, it is an epic film. Some cynics may call it overly dramatic and over the top. Well, those critics are absolutely right. However, why are those reasons to not like a particular film? After all what is the purpose of a film is not to entertain? Why do we go to the theatre in the first place if not to be awestruck by extravagant settings, plots, and characters? Troy fulfills all of these reasons why we go to the movies. It has a little bit for everyone. There is a great story for the literary types, some debonair gentlemen characters for the ladies, and the plot is beautiful enough to make a grown man cry. And no, I am not implying anything by that last statement. Seriously though, Homer was an amazing writer and David Benioff is an amazing screenwriter to be able to butcher The Iliad so much without ruining the epic. It’s easy to mess up an already written story by incorporating new plot lines. However Benioff does it masterfully. The storyline dealing with Achilles (Brad Pitt) and the priestess odes not go as in depth into the love story aspect in Homer’s version, but Benioff includes it besides the fact. However, it is incorporated not overzealously or rudely but it is woven into the main quilt of the plot seamlessly. This is done in a few other places throughout the film and not once do these newly discovered subplots overpower Homer’s original work, which makes Troy so enjoyable and engaging.