Although it is evident that painstaking detail was ensured in the props and cinematography, all other aspects of this mini-series fall half-and-half.
Casting: Rufus Sewell was top-notch as the despicable Agamemnon and John Rhys-Davies was a superb Priam, but whoever thought of Stellan Skarsgård as Theseus (whose death was depicted incorrectly in the movie)?
Characters: All characters in the movie were well-developed, but major characters were unnecessarily omitted. It accounted for Helen as a curse to her family because of her illegitimate conception when her mother's husband was away; however, she, Polydeuces, Clytemnestra, and Castor were all born simultaneously, the males from one egg, the females from another (her mother's husband at home with his wife). Polydeuces was Zeus's son, but he was not labeled as a curse like Helen. Castor was not even in the movie. Laocoon, the Trojan seer strangled by serpents after trying to warn about the Trojan Horse, and Aias (more commonly known by his Latin name Ajax) were no shows as well, even though the latter was mentioned once briefly.
Names: Helen's brother Polydeuces was called by his Latin name Pollux.
Personae: Hector was depicted as the noble prince as in the myth, but Achilles was the complete antithesis of what he should have been. More like the the god Ares, Achilles was out for blood and cold-bloodedly killed Hector; however, the mythical Achilles was honorable and only killed Hector to avenge the death of his pupil, Patroclus, even then feeling bad and trying to negotiate an end to the war. He was also in love with one of Priam's daughters and wanted to trade Hector's body for her. In the movie, though, Helen offered herself to Agamemnon in trade for Hector's body. Achilles death remained unexplained, too, only the myth buffs knowing of his vulnerability.
Style: Needless narration was used. Also, time was halted a couple times to afford Meneleaus room for epiphany... and a chat with Paris.
These discrepancies are only the tip of the iceberg. Some people may not mind these changes, and I wouldn't either were it not for the fact that these changes and ommissions were completely unnecessary.
One omission that cannot be supported, however, is that of the goddess Eris, for it was she who begat the pageant between the goddesses, getting the ball (or apple) rolling.
Casting: Rufus Sewell was top-notch as the despicable Agamemnon and John Rhys-Davies was a superb Priam, but whoever thought of Stellan Skarsgård as Theseus (whose death was depicted incorrectly in the movie)?
Characters: All characters in the movie were well-developed, but major characters were unnecessarily omitted. It accounted for Helen as a curse to her family because of her illegitimate conception when her mother's husband was away; however, she, Polydeuces, Clytemnestra, and Castor were all born simultaneously, the males from one egg, the females from another (her mother's husband at home with his wife). Polydeuces was Zeus's son, but he was not labeled as a curse like Helen. Castor was not even in the movie. Laocoon, the Trojan seer strangled by serpents after trying to warn about the Trojan Horse, and Aias (more commonly known by his Latin name Ajax) were no shows as well, even though the latter was mentioned once briefly.
Names: Helen's brother Polydeuces was called by his Latin name Pollux.
Personae: Hector was depicted as the noble prince as in the myth, but Achilles was the complete antithesis of what he should have been. More like the the god Ares, Achilles was out for blood and cold-bloodedly killed Hector; however, the mythical Achilles was honorable and only killed Hector to avenge the death of his pupil, Patroclus, even then feeling bad and trying to negotiate an end to the war. He was also in love with one of Priam's daughters and wanted to trade Hector's body for her. In the movie, though, Helen offered herself to Agamemnon in trade for Hector's body. Achilles death remained unexplained, too, only the myth buffs knowing of his vulnerability.
Style: Needless narration was used. Also, time was halted a couple times to afford Meneleaus room for epiphany... and a chat with Paris.
These discrepancies are only the tip of the iceberg. Some people may not mind these changes, and I wouldn't either were it not for the fact that these changes and ommissions were completely unnecessary.
One omission that cannot be supported, however, is that of the goddess Eris, for it was she who begat the pageant between the goddesses, getting the ball (or apple) rolling.