I'm not as familiar with this story as the other reviewers here, but I have read all the classic Greek myths when I was little. So even I have forgotten most of the stories, but part of the stories are still in my mind, and it helped me understanding the storyline of the movie. Fortunately, my favorite character, Achilles, is the one that I still remember. I remember after he was born, his mother, Thetis, wanted to make him immortal. She held him by one heel and immersed him in the river Styx. Since her hand held his heel, the magic water did not touch it. Therefore, his heel remained mortal. In order to kill him, one had to hurt his heel.

The Trojan War lasted about 10 years, however, in this movie, they seemed to have shortened the war in just a week or so. I don't know if Achilles was a handsome guy. But after watching this movie, I believe he must have been. Brad Pitt was charming and he was also a leading man in this movie. I enjoyed watching him fighting and talking. But the love story between him and Briseis was lame. I don't know how a man as charming and proud as Achilles would fall in love with her. At first, I thought he was just flirting because he was bored. When I saw the end, Achilles died for the reason of this woman because he was looking for her in order to save her while the city of Troy was smashed down, I thought that went a bit too far and was not believable. A woman shouldn't be the reason for his death. He should have died for a more glorious reason.

I also liked Hector, played by Eric Bana. Hector was a loving, responsible son, father, husband, brother, and Prince. Eric Bana made me believe he was Hector.

They have excluded all the Gods that originally were in Homer's Iliad. I think it's better to do it this way. It makes it more historical; makes it like it had happened 3000 years ago. Otherwise, it would become another Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. I liked it more than Gladiator. Gladiator was too violent. Originally, I thought this movie must be too, but it turned out not so bad. The fighting was quick and not too bloody. It focuses more on love and passion.