<body><![CDATA[ΓÇ£Inspired by HomerΓÇÖs The Iliad,ΓÇ¥ say the closing credits. ΓÇ£But just as heavily influenced,ΓÇ¥ one might add, ΓÇ£by Gladiator.ΓÇ¥ Wolfgang PetersenΓÇÖs film of the Trojan war uses only those bits of the mythological source material that can be shaped into a tale of rugged, secular combat. The Olympian gods are not heard from, and the Patroclus loved by Brad PittΓÇÖs Achilles is not the great warrior's tent-sharing companion but merely his cousin (this being the sort of thing you need to be very clear about if you want to persuade a star of his status to spend an entire film wearing a skirt). PittΓÇÖs performance is terribly pouty, but his Achilles certainly knows how to fight. His scrap with Eric BanaΓÇÖs Hector is the highlight among the film's many battle scenes, all of which are good value as dynamic, bone-crunching spectacle. Add the sturdy work of such British troupers as Brian Cox (Agamemnon), Sean Bean (Odysseus) and Peter OΓÇÖToole (Priam), and you get, well, not something in GladiatorΓÇÖs league, but a decent enough Friday-night movie all the same.]]></body>
