Skip to main content
Troy poster
7.5
Warner Bros. Pictures Acclaimed

Troy

Wolfgang Petersen's sweeping 2004 Trojan War epic — Homer's Iliad reimagined as a mortal blockbuster, with Brad Pitt's Achilles at its center and a $497M worldwide haul.

2004 163 min R
Critic7.5
Philo AMC+ (Amazon Channel) YouTube (Free with ads) Apple TV

Overview

When Trojan prince Paris takes Helen, Queen of Sparta, from her husband Menelaus, the Greek nations unite under King Agamemnon and sail a thousand ships to besiege Troy, with the legendary warrior Achilles leading the assault against Troy's greatest defender, Prince Hector.
Story 7.0
Acting 7.8
Direction 7.5
Cinematography 8.2
Music 7.5
Pacing 6.8
Originality 6.5
Emotional Impact 7.8
Overall 7.5

Editorial Review

By FindEdition Cinema Desk

7.5 /10

Epic spectacle

Petersen stages the beach landing and the siege of Troy with enormous practical scale — thousands of extras, towering sets in Malta, and battle choreography that still holds up against CGI-heavy modern epics.

Performances

Brad Pitt's brooding, physical Achilles anchors the film, but Eric Bana's Hector gives it a heart, and Peter O'Toole's late-film plea to Achilles remains the movie's finest scene.

Pros

  • Massive practical-scale battle sequences
  • Brad Pitt and Eric Bana's iconic duel
  • Peter O'Toole's powerful supporting turn
  • Superior extended Director's Cut available

Cons

  • Removes the gods and much of the Iliad's structure
  • Long runtime with uneven middle stretch
  • Mixed critical reception on release
Verdict A grand, old-fashioned war epic elevated by Brad Pitt's magnetic Achilles, Eric Bana's noble Hector, and one of the decade's best one-on-one duels — flawed as adaptation, thrilling as spectacle.

AI Review

Wolfgang Petersen's sweeping 2004 Trojan War epic — Homer's Iliad reimagined as a mortal blockbuster, with Brad Pitt's Achilles at its center and a $497M worldwide haul.

A grand, old-fashioned war epic elevated by Brad Pitt's magnetic Achilles, Eric Bana's noble Hector, and one of the decade's best one-on-one duels — flawed as adaptation, thrilling as spectacle.

Watch the 196-minute Director's Cut if possible — it is widely considered the definitive version of the film.

Awards

Academy Awards

Best Costume Design (Bob Ringwood) · Nominated

Teen Choice Awards

Choice Movie — Action/Adventure · Nominated

MTV Movie Awards

Best Fight (Brad Pitt vs. Eric Bana) · Nominated

Timeline

Release Date
Theatrical Date
Digital Date
Physical Date
Premiere
Festival
Status
Development

Warner Bros. set up David Benioff's Iliad-inspired script in 2002 with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct and Plan B Entertainment producing.

Principal photography

Shot in 2003 at Shepperton Studios (UK), Malta for the city of Troy, and Baja California, Mexico for the beach battles, with thousands of extras and massive practical sets.

Post-production

Gabriel Yared's completed score was replaced by a new James Horner score weeks before release; the film premiered in May 2004 and screened at Cannes out of competition.

Academy Awards

Best Costume Design (Bob Ringwood) Nominated

Teen Choice Awards

Choice Movie — Action/Adventure Nominated

MTV Movie Awards

Best Fight (Brad Pitt vs. Eric Bana) Nominated

Production

Development

Warner Bros. set up David Benioff's Iliad-inspired script in 2002 with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct and Plan B Entertainment producing.

Principal photography

Shot in 2003 at Shepperton Studios (UK), Malta for the city of Troy, and Baja California, Mexico for the beach battles, with thousands of extras and massive practical sets.

Post-production

Gabriel Yared's completed score was replaced by a new James Horner score weeks before release; the film premiered in May 2004 and screened at Cannes out of competition.

Streaming

Cast

Characters

Crew

Videos

Official Trailer

Soundtrack

  1. 3200 Years Ago — James Horner
  2. Achilles Leads the Myrmidons — James Horner
  3. Hector's Death — James Horner
  4. The Trojans Attack — James Horner
  5. Remember (from Troy) — Josh Groban feat. Tanja Tzarovska

Trivia

  • Screenwriter David Benioff, who adapted Homer's Iliad, later co-created HBO's Game of Thrones.
  • Brad Pitt trained for months and reportedly tore his Achilles tendon during production — while playing Achilles.
  • Gabriel Yared's original score was rejected late in post-production; James Horner composed the replacement score in about four weeks.
  • Production moved from Morocco to Mexico due to regional security concerns; the beach battle was shot in Baja California.
  • A 196-minute Director's Cut with substantially extended battle scenes was released in 2007.
  • Christopher Nolan, who directed 2026's The Odyssey, was at one point considered in connection with directing Troy.

Quotes

"Immortality! Take it! It's yours!"

"I'll tell you a secret. Something they don't teach you in your temple. The gods envy us."

Goofs

  • Llamas appear in ancient Troy, though they are native to South America and unknown to the Bronze Age Mediterranean.
  • Coins are placed on the eyes of the dead, but coinage was not invented until centuries after the Trojan War era.

Community

0.0 Community Average
0 reviews
0 verified owners
7.5 expert rating
10★
0
9★
0
8★
0
7★
0
6★
0

Community Insights

0Total reviews
0.0Community score
7.5Expert score

All Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Recommendations & Alternatives

For higher ratings, consider Mad Max: Fury Road (9.3/10). A similarly themed alternative is Shrek Forever After.

Higher Rated

Similar Films

Similar Movies

Scored by genre, cast, director, franchise, and studio overlap

AI Recommendation Insight

Wolfgang Petersen's sweeping 2004 Trojan War epic — Homer's Iliad reimagined as a mortal blockbuster, with Brad Pitt's Achilles at its center and a $497M worldwide haul. Similar picks: Highly Rated Action

Recently Viewed

From your browsing session

Troy