Honestly, there is no point in blaming Helen and Paris, because that’s not Agamemnon’s reason for having his army invade Troy, (he was using his brother as a pawn.) He would’ve invaded it anyway even if Helen didn’t leave with Paris. He doesn’t care about his brother’s marriage. And neither does Achilles, his reason is different too. Like Hector said “this is about power, not love.” It’s not about Helen and Paris anymore.
@@arcticangel1628 he needed a pretense for the war, Troy had sealed an alliance with Sparta, his brother's kingdom so he wouldn't have attacked them otherwise.
Is retaining your life really worthwhile when you have no honor and must now live with the knowledge that you brought about the end of not only your kingdom but your family?
Well, if you notice, after killing Hector, Achilles no longer fights with the army (in the movie). If Hector had refused, Achilles would have torn the Trojan army a new a--hole trying to get to Hector.
Hector wouldn't have been killed by Achilles even after the war was started. Achilles didn't want any harm to come to Hector and his kingdom. Actually it's Achilles's brother that killed Hector lol.
I will say this. He was a paragon of his people but he failed, as all men do in one way or the other. Love of his kin came before duty. He could have prevented the war (in this story) if he had killed his brother and made recompense to Menelaus through that. But that's not something anyone could just do which makes it even more tragic.
There are sadly these dilemmas, when you are damned if you do - and damned if you don't. They run throughout the movie. I replied to a commentator here, who thought Helen did the right thing (fleeing an abusive husband). And in principle, Helen should be able to. However, IN THIS CONTEXT, it was a selfish decision. She prioritised her own life and happiness - over the suffering/deaths, of tens of thousands. And of course, these horrendous double binds occur throughout real life and history. A particularly horrific one, keeps happening in Afghanistan, for example. Literally 50%+ of the population is starving, after the Taliban took over again. Whole families die. And so, parents are having to make a terrible decision. They are having to 'marry' off very young girls (one real case was a girl of 3), to rich adult 'husbands'. The parents are often distraught, and frequently had dreams of keeping their daughters in education (instead of early 'marriage'). Instead, they are handing over their little girls, to be sexually, physically, etc. abused. Sounds terrible, but the dilemma is this - do they sacrifice one child to abuse, to keep the other kids fed and alive (there are often 6 or 7 in a family)? Or do they keep all the children- with many/all likely to die, including the girls who would have been 'married' off young?
I always liked the character of Hector more than Achilles because Hector fought for his brother and his country while Achilles fought for glory and the thrill of the fight.
voila, Achilles didn't want to join the fight and disguised as a woman. Odysseus also didn't want to join the fight by acting crazy, but they both was quite forced to attack troy.
I remember I read a fanfiction about Achilles' battle with hector, and hector last words were "Patroclus dies for his people and yet where were you?" and I was like DAAAMMMNNNN.
@@june.2069 Fanfiction, really? lol .... At the point of death, Hector, his helmet flashing, said, "I know you well-I see my fate before me. Never a chance that I could win you over . . . Iron inside your chest, that heart of yours. But now beware, or my curse will draw god's wrath upon your head, that day when Paris and lord Apollo- for all your fighting heart-destroy you at the Scaean Gates!"
after seeing this i hate paris even more. he was reminded quite clearly of the dangers and he still went ahead and took her with him. why didnt hector do exactly what he said hed do here, paris deserved it
+jhibbitt1 And yet Paris just think about his dick instead of his head. No matter how hot Helen is, the live of all people of Troy matter more. Anyway it's just a movie but in real live it was truly brutal from the books lol
***** No.. It isn't like that. I read this book called the Song of Achilles, plus I read the Iliad, and I just really love Achilles for no other reason than the way he is.
***** I'm not fighting you or anyone for that..? When I fist watched Troy I was on Paris' side, but then I read all that stuff and it changed my own personal opinion. I'm fine with anyone liking anything else.
The genius of Hector: you know his threat to Paris is meant to strike him with fear, but it's also nonsense. He would sooner face a violent death *himself* than bring one upon Paris. He loves his family more than anything. Ultimately, Hector was a fantastic leader because he remained a loving brother, son, husband & father. That's the type of man you want on your side. He remained loyal + level-headed, despite Paris' wrongdoing.
You dont want such a man as your leader, just some subordinate. Such a man will not be able to look further for the good of the many, but willing to sacrifice many for "what is right".
Can we just acknowledge that although Hector is the paragon of good in this entire film he is extremely terrifying, not just as an individual warrior but also as a commanding general. Like I still wonder to this day how the shit he lost to Achilles. I get Achilles was a literal Demi God and that in myth the gods favored him disgustingly but damn. Hector defied the gods and he defied the rage of Achilles. Certainly my favorite in the film and the Iliad other than Odysseus. But certainly my number one. Eric Bana delivered this character so well and is a very underrated actor, and thanks to him Hector will forever be one of my favorite characters of all time. After watching Troy about 50 times, I still cry when he dies.
can we just acknowledge that your use of the term "can we just acknowledge ' is so overused and tiresome that it forced me to actually type it again? i feel unclean now. gotta go take a shower. fuckin drone.
@@michellereed2535 pretty sure you’re the drone considering that you felt compelled to use the phrase despite your hate for it. How bout we keep the toxic to a minimal eh?
good/bad and duty to their ppl are two different things. He lost to Achilles simply because Achilles was better even if slightly. Hector was a top fighter but Achilles was a top killer. they both knew that all the demi-god bs mean nothing if you can't fight and kill your opponent. there is also the ego behind it (top Greek warrior vs top Trojan warrior). but either way, they both wanted to be immortal and they kind of succeded...
The brotherly love is strong. Despite everything his little brother does to endanger Troy and his entire life, Hector fights for him because that's what brothers do. Hector didn't die because of Paris though. He died because his honor wouldn't let him hide behind walls while the archers atop killed the man that was calling him out in front of his family and countrymen.
Shane L You don't have to do shit. If you were right, then Paris wouldn't have ran from Menelaus. Hector knew Achilles would kill him. He could have just stayed on top of the wall, but Hector is a man of honor.
Octavian refused the 1v1 with Marc Antony in Rome. But there would be alot less bloodshed if leaders fought their own battles. Instead of sending millions of troops to fight their wars it can all be decided where it really matters.
Shane L If leaders fought their own battles, there wouldn't be many leaders to speak of, and while a reduction in the amount of bloodshed is true, that doesn't mean Hector or Caesar or Antony or Octavian had to fight 1v1.
I doubt many warriors would have dared to challenge Achilles 1 on 1 even back then. I don't doubt for a second that Agamemnon would have his archers take him down rather than fight him on his own. He didn't even have the balls to lead his men from the front lines. He's the type that doesn't care about honor yet people seem to ignore that and only want to point out Paris's frailties and cowardice.
Watching this, I feel that if Hector had kept his word, things would have ended differently. Paris did endanger Troy and he was the only one who still had his pretty face by the end of the movie.
@@stustig9430 not really if that brother doesn't give a shjt about you or your family's safety and lives just because all he ever cares is to bang married women and live a dangerous life
@@verynice1192 Dont think so. There would be stain of shame in one's honor, unless one does not care about it from the beginning. Hector would be branded as brother killer and thats a stain his political opponents would capitalize on. Well, since we are talking about movie character, itd be fine if Commodus did it since hes already an A-hole. Its not fine if Hector did it since hes not an A-hole. Something like that.
How would it make Hector a good man to betray his own brother? The whole point is that he's too moral to willingly engage in battle with his own blood relative. Also, for all the (deserved) criticism that Paris gets for stealing Helen, at least he shows guts in the end by avenging his brother. Achilles got what he deserved for needlessly taking Hector's life.
@@iluvlafferty because it could prevent a war from breaking out and everyone else in Hector and Paris life would be spared from death. Im not sure if it would make Hector a better man but it would definitely be a better outcome. Also Achilles didn't take Hectors life needlessly he avenged Patroclus just like Paris avenged Hector (the only difference is that unlike Hector Achilles was actually trying to help Paris at the time in the movie)
ArcticAngel1 No one is ignoring that at all. The scene was just about Paris and Hector, and I happened to know that Bloom hated his own character for those reasons.
I'm confused why you posted this as if it's one actor's opinion? Orlando Bloom knew who Paris was when he played him. It's the biggest tale of them all that he stole a man's wife & it sparked a war. I wouldn't say he's a coward. He's still the one to kill Achilles as revenge for his brother. That took guts.
iluvlafferty an actor can play a character and still not like them/think them a coward. Paris is a coward. His actions have consequences, and he refuses to deal with those consequences until it’s too late and war is at his door step. I won’t even touch how dumb A billed death is. It was dumb even in the source material.
Because Hector, like his brother, chose love before duty. He could have taken Helen back to Sparta but he couldn't watch his brother be executed. Even if it meant starting a war. Paris' actions started it but Hector isn't too different in this regard.
It was a nice moment, but it only made Achilles look more cruel. His grief for Hector was proof that he knew his actions were wrong. Hector's death was so unnecessary; Troy lost a great leader all because Achilles was reckless. That's why I found it hard to care when Paris killed him. That was redemption for both Paris and Achilles.
@@iluvlafferty it was actually more of the younger ppls fault, Paris and Patroclus. Achilles was mourning the death of his beloved cousin and acted irrationally but had Patroclus not assumed the position of Achilles without the skill, this wouldn't have happened. They both paid for the mistakes of these two fools.
I cried for Hector and Achilles if only. Those two had survived the Trojan War RIP in Peace in The Elyisain Fields Hector and Achilles one a fighter and a tamer of horses the other a fighter and a friend both are the greatest heroes
@@purgetheXYs Achilles in the Iliad is even worse... he takes Hector's body with him and literally mutilates it. The Iliad is just a bizarre read... was forced to in 10th grade English, and have it right up there with Pride & Prejudice as books I have zero desire to read again.
@@nahor88 Achilles did mutilate Hector in the movie. If you look closely in his funeral scene, Hector had no eyes and no ears, probably no tongue either. He did exactly what he told Hector he would do before their dual. "Tonight, you will have no eyes, no ears and no tongue, and the dead will know this is the fool who thought he killed Achilles..."
I can certainly relate more with Menelaus under this circumstance. The king of Sparta, a country well known for war, let's his queen get stolen and he does nothing? You can only imagine how weak he would look. Other countries wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of weakness.
You can't seriously think that he started a war just to get his wife back? The man was out for blood, just like Hector tells Helen. A better man would let a woman like her go (she clearly wasn't worth it) and if he had to, engage in a personal discussion with Paris WITHOUT letting Agamemnon use it as an excuse to declare war on Troy. There's no way that Menelaus came out of it looking justified.
D Gray Agamemnon(sorry if i am misspelling) always wanted Troy.It was inevitable.Agamemnon just had an excuse at that moment and persuaded his brother to unite with him because of Hellen(sorry again).
If one of your friends is thinking about cheating with someone who's married, you need to grab their face and say that line to them word for word, even if they don't get it at first.
Honestly, there is no point in blaming Helen and Paris, because that’s not Agamemnon’s reason for having his army invade Troy, (he was using his brother as a pawn.) He would’ve invaded anyway it even if Helen didn’t leave with Paris. He doesn’t care about his brother’s marriage. And neither does Achilles, his reason is different too. Like Hector said “this is about power, not love.” It’s not about Helen and Paris anymore.
@@eleethtahgra7182 Achilles, Odysseus, and Agamemnon don’t care about Paris and Helen. Agamemnon would’ve attempted to invade Troy anyway even if Helen wasn’t taken.
Ignoring the Iliad purists, the casting was very well done for Hector, Paris, Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax. Based on Hollywood’s star power at the time, there were no better or more marketable actors to play what teenager would imagine these mythological characters would look like on screen based on what they were reading for class. If Brad Pitt was gonna play Achilles it was definitely gonna be at this time, and Eric Bana’s portrayal of Bruce Banner gave off a dignified tortured soul vibe which resonated with the hector character. Paris is pretty, legolas is pretty, it sort of works. Sean Bean gives off sly cunning in roles like 006, so I enjoyed his very Shakespearean Odysseus. Tyler Mane was sabertooth, so I totally see him as mighty Ajax, but Nathan Jones is way bigger so either or worked for me. Menelaus and Agamemnon looked fat, nothing more lol
Actually i think it would have improved it. Hector by all accounts was a good and honorable man, yet he would have to be a violent man to to be the greatest of Troy. It would have add some character depth if they add this scene
Hector may have had some great battle skills, but that doesn't make him violent. He respects the horrors of war and only fights when he has to. Hector fights only in the name of self-defense, Agamemnon fights in the name of conquest, greed, and bloodlust. Agamemnon fights for power and doesn't care how many innocent lives he has to destroy to get it. Agamemnon was a violent man, Hector was not
@@grizzlypie8949 Honestly, there is no point in blaming Helen and Paris, because that’s not Agamemnon’s reason for having his army invade Troy, (he was using his brother as a pawn.) He would’ve invaded it anyway even if Helen didn’t leave with Paris. He doesn’t care about his brother’s marriage. And neither does Achilles, his reason is different too. Like Hector said “this is about power, not love.” It’s not about Helen and Paris anymore.
Hector was a man of honor. He went to fight with Achilleus knowing that he was gonna die... Yet there was a slim chance cause everyone who fights like Hector allways has a chance. No matter who stands against them. Achilleus could have showed better respect for him, his cousin was killed in fair battle. Hector is that kinda a guy that even if he killed my brother, i would still respect him but i would also kill him. You know that everyone he kills was willingly fighting against him, theres no poisons or stabbing a sleeping man. Just honor. Strength and honor!
@@macman975 People forget that Agamemnon would still attack and conquer Troy even if Hector killed his guilty brother. Even if Paris died in the hands of Menelaus. Agamemnon would still try to conquer Troy. Paris' sin of stealing Menelaus' wife was only a justification of his ambition. He cannot save Troy even if he surrenders his brother.
@@mistermonologue2442 Don't downplay Achile here, he was a far better warrior than Hector, his tripping on a rock was not the factor that made him lose the fight
@@asasdsaasda No, Achilles definitely had the edge but I wouldn't say he was a far better warrior. Honestly if Hector had the same experience as Achilles or didn't have a family to distract him he could very well have been even with achilles. As it was if achilles tripped and not Hector the fight could have ended very differently.
The movie Troy is actually about what the ideal type of man should and shouldn't look like 1) The ideal man -> Achilles, Hector, Odysseus -> Strength, respect, honor, humility, loyalty, wisdom -> They fight and defend their ideals and goodness 2) Toxic man -> Agamemnon -> alcoholic, arrogant, takes women as slaves, wretched 3) Weak and pathetic man -> Paris -> Takes another man's wife, lets others fight for him, doesn't stand up for his own opinions, can't face anything
I remember when I saw this in the movie. I was so excited because that same day the Justice League season finale titled Starcrossed was also premiering on cable. For me it was the best day of May, 2004. My young teen heart was so overwhelmed.
Not sure about ancient Greek, but in modern Greek, his pronunciation of the "a" was correct. He should just not have accentuated the "a". The accent is on the second "e", as in Me-né-la-os.
What makes me mad is that Troy was not lacking in beautiful women, lovelier than Helen in my opinion. He simply fell in love with the idea of a forbidden love worth fighting for, when he has no stomach for battle. He wouldn't have cared for her if she was the fisherman's wife, the fact that she was a sad damsel in distress is what appealed to him.
"Hey, I want the Godfather scene with Michael and Fredo arguing about the casino business, but 5000 years earlier." This movie scene: "Say no more." Edit: Thanks for all the likes, guys!
And of course, he did rip someone's pretty face from a pretty skull. Problem is....it's not Paris's face, it was Patroclus's face, and Achilles was rightfully pissed because of it.
High drama makes one feel a volatile mixture of emotions because everyone is trying desperately not to feel their strongest impulse. The more they resist... The stronger the impulse. Jung and Freud were geniuses.
I'd say this scene wasn't included because it was out of character for Hector. Despite being a great and skilled warrior, he had a relatively gentle nature. Making this threat against his own brother was to thuggish and over the top for him. Even though Paris probably deserved it, a gentleman just doesn't do this.
I think it fits very well. He's leading a peace expedition and has to keep it from being waylaid even to the point of threats when foolish BS like Paris womanizing with Men. wife.
@@TheAchilles26 I don't have a younger sibling but I do have an older brother, and he definitely did some big brother things to me growing up this is still a few steps past anything he did. I still think it was out of character for Hector but everyone has their own opinions.
@@joshlight6892, if Hector had ACTUALLY DONE IT that would have been out of character. The line was clearly a hyperbolic attempt to get through to the incurable philandering dumbass that is Paris
Hector intervened to save his brother in a one on one when he knew that one man’s death could save thousands of lives. Although he kept speaking at lengths about the catastrophe that wars are, he didn’t have the courage to let go one soul to save thousands. Achilles avenged his young cousin and fought in a fair manner in the battle with Hector as well as let Hector leave when he was outnumbered at the temple. Achilles is greater than Hector in his honour and character and this in no means is to say that Hector was not great but one should know that Hector was a royal who could save his kingdom and thousands of lives but he chose to save his characterless brother over it all. I feel people undermine Achilles when comparing him with Hector and I see no reason to do so.
Achilles - Gets a small body part named after him. Hector - Gets nothing named after him. Paris - Gets the capital of one of Europe's biggest countries named after him.
For those who never bothered with Greek mythology, it was Paris who avenged Hector’s death. He shot the arrow that pinned Achilles’s ankle to the ground. Other archers and fighters finished the job.
People forget that Agamemnon would still attack and conquer Troy even if Hector killed his guilty brother. Even if Paris died in the hands of Menelaus. Agamemnon would still try to conquer Troy. Paris' sin of stealing Menelaus' wife was only a justification of his ambition.
What was interesting was Hector KNEW this. Which is probably why he decide to set sail to Troy with Helen on board anyways. Cause at this point the wheels were already in motion.
Sure but agamemnon wouldn't have hastily invaded Troy, they just made peace, it wouldn't be justified. So you could say that paris was the sole reason why the war started
I grew up reading my mom's old college books about greek mythology, at first "the pretty pictures/portrayals were the one that attracted me to it. Turns out those were just Greek/Roman art. But for a 7yr old kid, it was just pretty pictures at that time" lol. Anyway, my single mother would only have time to discuss and explain it to me after she gets home late from her job at the USAF. And man, that was one of my childhood highlights. Don't get me wrong, I am a disney kid too at that time, but greek mythology was just strangely more magical and confusing. She tried her best to explain the nuances and paradox of Gods influence and why free will really matters for man-kind to a 7yr old kid. And I didn't really get it at that time, and arguably probably even now. I'm still trying to figure it out, but the Trojan War was one of the stories that really frustrates me even as a kid bec there were so many gods meddling in the story at that time that it pisses me off, because the gods that favors you basically increased your winning/losing rate exponentially. For example, in of the iterations of the Trojan War. Helen was cursed by the gods bec she of her 'beauty' or some nonsense like that. Looking back after watching this movie in my teens, it really frustrated me that the fates of Hector and Achilles were already basically sealed. But such as the work of the fates. Man, what a wild ride. I hope they make more Greek mythology with gritty and realistic approach, yet with some gods meddling on the side in the future too. P.S. I also know there were literally hundreds if not thousands of interpretations of the trojan war but we can all agree that Greek, Norse and Roman mythology are just beyond fascinating.
Troy was an underrated movie. It wasn't perfectly based on the Iliad and didn't need to be. Homer weaved excellent tales of poetic beauty about parts of Greek history, often from a very biased view and often saturated with magic spells, god's and goddesses under every stone and mythical beasts at every corner. I do not criticize the beauty of it but it leaves much unknown. I always saw Troy as an attempt to make the tales of the Iliad shortened, more realistic and with only an occasional hint of something mystic. Less a tale of gods and magic, more a tale of countries and people. The extended scenes particularly fill in alot and make the movie more enjoyable without taking away or distracting the plot, even improves the already enjoyable characters of Achilles and Hector. Here, we see no magic spell on Helen of Sparta by an outcastes son of Troy (due to prophecy), no competing goddesses offering gifts with a price, no gods empowering them. We see a far more popular prince that is a soldier, the older brother and responsible mature one, a younger brother without responsibility or control of his emotions (or ego. Or dick) and an unhappy, unsatisfied wife married that he is having an affair with. This seems far more likely what happened in Troy. It's not proven... But it sure feels more real.
I don't understand the hate for Eric Bana. He's a perfectly fine actor. If you want to see bad acting in this movie look no further than Brad Pitt. Casper Van Dien could have done a better job and he's shit.