Troy: Wolfgang Petersen's Rousing Epic Gets a Stunning Upgrade (Limited Edition 4K)

The Film:

In May 2004, Wolfgang Petersen's epic "Troy," his rendition of the famous "Trojan War," was unleashed in theaters to rather harsh reviews, with many praising the performances, but criticizing its unfaithful telling of Homer's "Iliad." However, despite the reception from the pedantic critics, the film was fully embraced by the public, who not only made it a box office smash to the tune of nearly $500 million worldwide, but also thoroughly enjoyed it, as evident by much higher ratings.

Even over two decades later, fans still sing its praises for its exciting action & dramatic telling of the tale, so for them, Arrow Films has decided to put the film in the spotlight by upgrading it for a special 4K edition that includes both the original theatrical cut, the extended director's cut, and several archival bonus features, so now it's time to revisit this rousing epic to see which group was closer to the mark. Could this be another intriguing example of the public doing a better job of playing critic than the critics themselves?

Taking place in 1184 BC, King Agamemnon (Brian Cox) has conquered the kingdoms of Greece with the great warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt) and made it so that they are at his call should he require them. Meanwhile, brothers Hector (Eric Bana) and Paris (Orlando Bloom), princes of Troy, have made peace with King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson) of Sparta, Agamemnon's brother. However, the situation becomes complicated when Paris decides to start an affair with the king's wife, Queen Helen (Diane Kruger), going so far as to smuggle her aboard his ship and take her back home. Menelaus, obviously quite upset, goes to his brother in order to convince him to attack Troy, which Agamemnon happily agrees to do, for their victory would give him control of the Aegean Sea. And so, with the entire Greek army accompanying them, they head for Troy, where King Priam (Peter O'Toole) prepares the city for war, all for his son's love of a woman.

"Troy" was released at a time when epics already seemed to be dwindling down. This was mere months after the final part of "The Lord of the Rings" came out to massive acclaim & huge box office numbers, so it showed that they were still rather popular, with Petersen's epic being no exception. That said, while the former was based on a globally-popular book, what was it about a film about The Trojan War that could possibly draw a massive crowd?

Well, for starters, this is simply a classic tale, one that tells of heroes, battles, honor, and love, aspects that are on full display in screenwriter David Benioff's adaptation of the story. The scope is appropriately vast to encompass all of this, giving you all of the dramatic elements & massive action set pieces that the narrative requires, and doing so at a surprisingly strong pace, even for the 196-minute director's cut. Petersen & Benioff skillfully weave all of these ingredients together in a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining epic that just goes to show that classic stories can still resonate with audiences today if they're told well (even if they do take a few liberties with the original source material).

Then, of course, there's the stunning ensemble, which includes Brad Pitt (a big draw on his own), Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, Peter O'Toole, Sean Bean, Rose Byrne,and Diane Kruger. If you're going to tell a massive tale that's going to require a fair amount of emotional connection between the audience & characters, then you're going to need a cast that's up to that challenge. On that point, they very much deliver, packing the film with quite a bit of talent, which ends up being one of the key reasons that the film is so effective.

Add on to that, and looping back to the film's sheer scope, its incredible production design, costumes, visual effects, cinematography, and Petersen's direction, and it's not hard to see why this epic remains a favorite of the genre for many, one whose popularity has enjoyed a resurgence with the recent release of Sir Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey." It's a shame that critics were so harsh on the film during its original theatrical run, but luckily that didn't stop it from finding its audience, who embraced it then & still do, and now that it's getting a much-deserved 4K upgrade, they can continue to enjoy this incredible epic in the best quality possible.

Video/Audio:

The theatrical & director's cuts of "Troy" come to Limited Edition 4K in 2.39:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfers of marvelous quality. The new 4K remasters from the original 35mm camera negatives present a beautiful picture throughout each version's respective runtime, perfectly highlighting their incredible visual effects, production design, and Oscar-nominated costumes. Likewise, the original lossless 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround & stereo tracks are excellent, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and James Horner's incredible score in outstanding quality. Overall, as usual, Arrow Films has done a wonderful job all-around for the film's new upgrade.

Special Features:

Troy Revisited (3 Minutes): An introduction by director Wolfgang Petersen.

In Movie Experience: A picture-in-picture commentary of the theatrical cut of the film with cast & crew.

Troy in Focus (11 Featurettes, 23 Minutes): A series of behind-the-scenes featurettes that delve into the making of the film.

In the Thick of Battle (17 Minutes): A featurette that explores the film's action sequences.

From Ruins to Reality (14 Minutes): A featurette that looks at the film's production design.

Troy: An Effects Odyssey (11 Minutes): A featurette that discusses the film's visual effects & sound design.

Attacking Troy (15 Minutes): A featurette that breaks down the film's adaptation of "The Iliad."

Gallery of the Gods (Intro & 10 Featurettes, 11 Minutes): An introduction to the Greek Gods.

Conclusion:

Over two decades later, Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy" remains a rousing, exciting, and highly entertaining epic, one that may take a few liberties with its source material, but which weaves together its dramatic elements & action set pieces quite skillfully. Throw in a remarkable ensemble, fantastic production design & costumes, and Petersen's keen direction, and you ultimately end up with a grand telling of the classic story that is most definitely worth revisiting as it makes its 4K debut.

Score: 4/5

Available on Limited Edition 4K starting tomorrow.

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