Last week, our class watched the movie Helen of Troy. The first thing that I noticed was it was a long movie (175 minutes). Helen of Troy was released in the year 2003, bringing to life the famous Greek poem The Iliad written by Homer. It was produced by Ted Kurdyla and was directed by John Kent Harrison. This adventurous/tragic epic showed the story of the battle between the Greeks and the Trojans. It depicted the complexity of the events and characters in the story. One of the visible aspects shown in the movie was the difference of the relationship of Agamemnon and Menelaus between that of Hector's and Paris'. Agamemnon's and Menelaus' relationship was more like that of a leader-servant. Agamemnon being the commanding older brother while Menelaus being the submissive one. On the other hand, Hector's and Paris' was more of the brotherly type. They respected each other and even if they didn't often show it they worried for the other's welfare. The distinction of the two relationships was clearly seen in the fight between Menelaus and Paris. Agamemnon didn't care if his brother would be killed unlike Hector who even sacrificed his life for the sake of Paris. For Agamemnon, he valued his life more than his brother's while for Hector he valued his brother's life more than his own.
All in all, the movie was an effective adaptation of the poem. The crew used elements that are similar to the period when the story was made. They have shown successfully the idea of what it would be like during those times. Also, the actors were perfect for their roles. They evoked different feelings such as anger, irritation and empathy from their audience a clear sign that they did a good job. They also did a good job in editing and directing the movie, only the important events were included. The only negative aspect of the movie that I saw was the incomplete portrayal of some of the characters like Achilles. All things considered, my final rating for the movie is 4.
All in all, the movie was an effective adaptation of the poem. The crew used elements that are similar to the period when the story was made. They have shown successfully the idea of what it would be like during those times. Also, the actors were perfect for their roles. They evoked different feelings such as anger, irritation and empathy from their audience a clear sign that they did a good job. They also did a good job in editing and directing the movie, only the important events were included. The only negative aspect of the movie that I saw was the incomplete portrayal of some of the characters like Achilles. All things considered, my final rating for the movie is 4.