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Michael Elliott (Movie Parables) agrees. "We never become emotionally connected to the events being enacted for us. We are always aware of the actors behind the characters and the CGI effects behind the action."

Films like this usually draw men more than women. What will women think? Annabelle Robertson (Crosswalk) says, "Troy is a beautiful film full of special effects, dramatic war scenes … and enough testosterone to power Sparta's ships. Women will be drawn by the history, the costumes and the romance—if not Pitt's buff body, which is seen naked from above the groin and the side in several scenes." She says, "The film fails to convey the drama and excitement of Gladiator and feels more like the dated Ben Hur. Not all the details match the original work, so students of the book will be disappointed. The biggest flaw is the characterization, which remains underdeveloped."

Brett Willis (Christian Spotlight) writes, "For a viewer desiring a pure hero to root for, there's a scarcity of choices here." He adds, "I was amazed that the script was carefully written to avoid any explicit teaching that the Greek gods were 'real.'"

To explore the authenticity of Petersen's Troy, check out Archaeology.org's examination of the film's décor and battlefield "re-enactments." To read the ho-hum responses of mainstream critics to the year's first major blockbuster, click here.

Having seen Troy, Hal Conklin and Denny Wayman (Cinema in Focus) call the movie "a Hollywood spectacular that succeeds in entertainment value. When it comes to the heart, it only shows what destruction comes from selfish desire."

A ready-to-download Movie Discussion Guide related to this movie is available at ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com. Use this guide after the movie to help you and your small group better connect your faith to pop culture.

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