Movie Review: 'Troy'

by Rich Brooks


29 May 2004

I went to see Hymiewood's latest $200 million summer blockbuster today, and I was not disappointed, as I feared I might be. Even though "Troy" is almost three hours long, I did not find myself glancing at my watch as I usually do whenever a movie runs over two hours. I found it thoroughly entertaining and even inspiring, even though it may well be argued that director Wolfgang Petersen has strayed far from the story as recorded by Homer in The Iliad.

As a source for historical epics, Homer has been sadly underutilized by filmmakers. Previous attempts to capture Greek history or mythology on screen have been of poor quality and almost comical in effect. Frankly, I must admit that it has been so long since I have read either The Iliad or The Odyssey that I would be hard put to discuss the details where this movie differs from Homer's classic account. But I don't think that matters too much, because I think the screenplay in "Troy" can stand very well on its own. The producers evidently anticipated the rash of critics who would question the film's historicity, because the closing credits state only that the story was "inspired by Homer's Iliad."

Brad Pitt and the now-aged Peter O'Toole are the only big-name actors I recognized, but they both lend talent as well as their names to the film. O'Toole, of course, is in a class by himself and his King Priam of Troy dominates the screen with his still-piercing blue eyes whenever he appears. Unlike Homer's account, the Trojans are the good guys, the protagonists, in this screenplay and O'Toole portrays a kind and gentle, yet brave and strong leader. Brian Cox's Agamemnon, on the other hand, is a greedy, brutish, power-hungry tyrant for whom Greek superhero Achilles holds only contempt.

Brad Pitt, somewhat to my surprise, actually looks the part of a Greek superhero in this movie. Starting with "Fight Club" a few years ago, Pitt has recently been playing much more macho roles than he did when he was type-cast as something of a "pretty boy." Perhaps it was the effective use of camera angles, but I thought he seemed much larger in this movie as well as more muscular. I'm sure he must have done a lot of working out to prepare for this role and probably put on a few pounds as well. Anyway, I thought he looked the part and his acting was adequate if not great.

The most important point to emphasize for White Alert and VNN readers, however, is that "Troy" is an unequivocally White movie. I did not see a single black or other non-White face during the entire film, as reflects historical reality. Historical realism, however, has never prevented Hymiewood filmmakers from inserting nigger and mud actors into biblical epics, medieval dramas, Westerns, or whatever other vehicle they can use to distort racial history. The actors in Troy, on the other hand, even look distinctly Nordic rather than Mediterranean. German-born actress Diane Kruger, who is a befittingly lovely blonde, plays Helen, the legendary beauty whose capture was the proximate cause of the Trojan War. Director Petersen is also German, so perhaps this explains the strong Aryan flavor of "Troy."

It was also refreshing to see a movie made about a non-Christian, indeed pre-Christian, civilization. The only immortality our heroes here seek might be fairly categorized as "the fame of a dead man's deeds." While there are a few anti-war lines, mostly uttered by the women in the film, the values reflect a warrior ethic of courage and loyalty to Nation, which for both Trojans and Greeks means loyalty to family and race. Achilles represents a warrior who is independent and will take no orders from any man, especially the detested King Agamemnon, but in the end shows he will lay down his life for his people. Achilles does not glorify or glamorize war, but he recognizes that wars are something that will always be fought. No pleas for universal brotherhood or any other kind of jew-promoted universalism here.

The battle scenes are exciting and realistic without being unduly gory or taking up too much screen time. It is another movie that is best seen on the big screen in a theater. I think you will be entertained by the action and the story of "Troy," but most importantly you won't suffer through the usual overt multiculturalism or semitical correctness. I recommend it.

RICH BROOKS

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