Forget Nolan’s The Odyssey, We Already Have A Killer Greek Epic

By Robert Scucci
| Published 2 minutes ago

With Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey fast approaching, it’s time to get back into all of the great historical epics that have come out over the years. Gladiator (2000) is always a no-brainer thanks to Russell Crowe’s magnetic performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius, and if you want to channel your inner Spartan while a single tear runs down your cheek because you’re 37 and need to accept the fact that you’re never getting the abs back, you can fire up 300 (2007) to get your fill. Between those two films, though, is a little $185 million historical epic called Troy (2004), which wasn’t exactly a critical darling upon release (53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but has remained a fan favorite for decades.

Here’s the thing about historical epics based on Ancient Greek mythology: they almost always lose points for not properly representing the source material. But here’s my counterpoint: this is a movie, everybody speaks American English, and our main hero’s weakness is his heel because his mother dunked him upside down in the River Styx to make him immortal, but the water didn’t touch the spot where she was holding him. In other words, let’s suspend some disbelief, watch some epic battles, and enjoy the show.

I’m No Scholar, But Troy Is Badass

I hate long movies that don’t earn their runtime, but Troy is built differently because it fully commits to spectacle. There are plenty of names being said out loud that made me think, “Oh, that’s how you pronounce that, I’ve only ever read it before,” followed immediately by enough cinematic violence to distract me from the fact that I should probably brush up on both my history and my phonics.

Here’s the short and sweet version of what happens in Troy because, if I’m being real, I’m not watching this one for the plot. I’m watching it to see thousands of extras get leveled while armies wage war against each other and burn everything to the ground.

After Paris (Orlando Bloom), a prince of Troy, sparks a forbidden romance with Helen (Diane Kruger), the wife of Spartan King Menelaus, tensions between the two kingdoms explode into all-out war. The Greek armies unite under the ambitious Agamemnon (Brian Cox), bringing along their greatest warrior, Achilles (Brad Pitt), whose legendary fighting skills are matched only by his pride and ego. As Troy braces for invasion, noble prince Hector (Eric Bana) struggles to defend his family and city from destruction. What follows is a massive clash driven by love, revenge, ambition, and the pursuit of glory during a time when nothing else really mattered.

Beyond Epic In Scope And Scale

Filmed during that sweet spot in movie history where CGI enhanced a film instead of completely replacing practical filmmaking, Troy never feels like a green screen experience. Sure, digital effects were used to fill out backgrounds with massive armies and sprawling naval fleets, but the production still relied on thousands of extras swinging rubber swords during combat sequences so everybody could safely hack away at each other with reckless, military-sanctioned abandon. It’s even been reported that Brad Pitt and Eric Bana spent days rehearsing their final duel without stunt doubles to make sure audiences got the best fight sequence money could buy.

Speaking of Brad Pitt, his portrayal of Achilles is second to none. He brings a certain level of nonchalance to the role, like he’s a party guy who just so happens to be exceptionally gifted at war. He’s untouchable and unflappable, and he commands the screen whenever he shows up while channeling serious dude-bro energy anytime somebody asks anything of him. When we’re first introduced to him, he effortlessly kills Boagrius (Nathan Jones), a giant hulk of a man, while violently hungover and not even having eaten breakfast yet. It’s poetry in sandals, and it’s ridiculously fun to watch play out.

For every bit of charisma in Troy, however, there’s also a healthy amount of corn you need to chew through. The most egregious moment, to me, is when Ajax lets out his battle cry in the middle of combat, bellowing, “I am Ajax, breaker of stones! Look upon me in despair!” Don’t get me wrong, that’s an objectively badass thing to say, but Troy is set in 1184 BC and he delivers the line like he knows there’s a camera crew behind him and he wants to sound as cool as humanly possible. Moments like that can take me out of movies like Troy, but it’s also worth mentioning that this is still an incredible quote to casually work into real life whenever the opportunity presents itself.

In 2026, Troy’s legacy has far exceeded its initial reputation, which is reflected in its much stronger 74 percent Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics may have gone hard on this movie at the time, but it’s also worth remembering that critics don’t always know how to have fun. Troy is fun. It’s pure popcorn spectacle wrapped in armor, and if you’re looking for next-level fight choreography and carnage, it really doesn’t get much better than this.

As of this writing, Troy is not available through standard streaming subscriptions, but it can be rented or purchased on demand through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV+.