Here we are in the year 2002, and music all around is redundant once again. Everyone is looking for the new savior of rock. Surely the answer cannot be found in a band composed of contemporary rap-punk innovators Rage Against the Machine sans front man Zack de la Rocha and the former Soundgarden lead Chris Cornell, right? Rest assured, Audioslave isn’t that savior, however, they do release one of the best albums of the new millennium!

Chris Cornell had already established himself as a star through his later Soundgarden days, the Andrew Wood tribute album/band Temple of the Dog, and his solo debut in 1999, before he signed on to join the remaining members of Rage. His glorious wail and unparalleled vocal range assures his spot amongst legends as a great singer. Additionally, his songwriting abilities are top-notch, as revealed in the depth of his debut album Euphoria Morning, hinting at a softer side not often seen. In contrast, Soundgarden was a grunge icon, known for their stirring use of harmony to bring out the best of anger and sadness. Thankfully for Soundgarden fans, Cornell gets to revisit those days on Audioslave’s debut. Many of the songs here are similar to Soundgarden’s earlier work. Cornell is not solo anymore, and it shows; to back him up are Rage guitarist Tom Morello, and the killer combination of Brad Wilk and Tom Commerford on bass and guitar. Morello keeps all of his tricks from the Rage days, and Audioslave proves that a supergroup can do more than just produce “more of the same.”

The awesome might that is Audioslave begins with the radio-friendly “Cochise.” “Cochise” starts with a powerful drum introduction that grows louder until the guitar kicks in, and then everyone knows what is in store. In reality, “Cochise” is a token gimmick song with stale lyrics but a great beat. The vocals–much like every song on the album–are performed nicely by Cornell, letting the listener know he still has it. However, it is one of the weakest tracks on the whole album. Next up is “Show Me How To Live,” with a catchy bass riff and chorus, representing the funk-punk side of Rage with the melody of Cornell. “Gasoline,” the band’s kiss-off to the pains of society, contains one of the strongest examples of the energy and power of Audioslave at their peak. Every player connects with the others and produce so much noise that they could very well ruin Soundgarden’s reputation. “What You Are” is a change of pace for the supergroup, with a touching performance by Cornell and a trademark guitar solo by Morello. “Like A Stone” is yet another radio hit that features a subdued Morello on guitar but the best vocals on the whole album.

Easily the heaviest rocker is the following track: “Set It Off.” Its beauty is in its simplicity. It has a chorus consisting of a mere three words (repeating the title), yet it is funk-rock at its purest and best. If you aren’t head-banging to this song, you could be dead. After the sonic boom that is “Set It Off” finishes, the album seems to shift focus from explosive energy to lyrical and instrumental mastery. Morello proves his talent on “Shadows of the Sun,” and Cornell sings a genuine masterpiece in “I Am The Highway”–the latter is a poignant relief for your senses. The afterglow is short-lived, though, and “Exploder” quickly revives the head-banger in all of us, complete with cognitive verses of self-awareness. The sound explosion continues all the way up to the final track. “The Last Remaining Light” is the perfect way to end an album after assaulting the audience’s eardrums thoroughly; it’s softer and intriguing, with a chorus that leaves much to contemplate: “If you don’t believe the sun will rise, stand alone and greet the coming night.” Does that allow hope for a sophomore album, or is this supergroup done?

Audioslave does a remarkable job of combining the psychedelic funk and excellent guitar work of Rage Against the Machine with the deep and distinct vocals of Chris Cornell. One might think that being outnumbered three-to-one would weigh heavily against Cornell, but the truth is Audioslave derives more of their sound from early Soundgarden. For Rage and Soundgarden fans alike, that is nothing to fear. Cornell proves once again–in his fourth(!) musical outfit–that anything he touches is gold. Wholeheartedly recommended to Rage and Soundgarden fans, as well as those searching for something different in rock.

Audioslave is the best release of 2002.

You couldn’t turn on the news the past couple of weeks without hearing something about filmmaker Michael Moore’s latest documentary. Everyone was talking about it. From Hollywood stars who believe their opinion is worth more than everyone else, to local news stations trying to be “cutting edge” even the lowest of the low in journalism have been rumbling over this little film. As little as it may be in the minds of some, the ideas expressed in the film will have hard hitting repercussions on the upcoming election is left-wing liberals have anything to say about it.

Most movie reviews are nothing more than a Joe Somebody, such as me, spouting off about what I liked and disliked about a film. It’s as simple as that. I have no thoughts of grandeur about my work. There are hundreds upon hundreds of film reviewers online, each with their own taste in films and the judgments that they make upon them. So understand where I am coming from with my personal opinions in this review, because, chances are, if you don’t like what I have to say, there is bound to be someone who agrees with you, you just have to look for it.

Fahrenheit 9/11 is a film with one purpose and one purpose only, to get President George W. Bush out of the White House come November, and for the swing voters who see the film in the next couple of weekends, the desired outcome could very well happen. Fahrenheit explores the events prior, during, and after the attacks of September 11, 2001 and how the United States Government, lead by Dubya, brought our country into war with two Middle East countries and sent thousands of American troops overseas.

Like Moore’s Oscar winning Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 is factual based opinion piece, and while you may not believe everything that Moore says in the film, you tend to believe some of it with the evidence that he has. Many groups have come against Moore because of the way his information is presented. They believe that most of the information is nothing more than fiction than truth, and without being a first hand witness to these events, it is very hard for the viewer to refute them. Still when you hear facts and figures, such as President Bush being on vacation for a great majority of his first 100 days in office, you tend to wonder if conservatives are afraid of this information getting out, rather than it being false.

Again, like Bowling for Columbine, Moore uses humor to progress his point throughout out the film. His editing techniques can turn even the most heinous subject into a chuckling matter purely because of how quotes are interpreted (or misinterpreted, depending on who you talk to). The first part of the film tries to show the connections between the oil rich Saudis and the Bush family. It also dives into George W. Bush’s background and his penance for driving companies into the ground, as well as his father’s involvement with members of the bin Laden family prior to him taking office. One aspect that Moore seems to shy away from is the 2000 president election, in which Al Gore lost his bid for the White House, and the actual attacks. They are in there, but only a black screen is shown for a good two minutes as audio clips play through the surround sound, creating a very powerful and overwhelming experience that had me close to tears. It isn’t often that such a serious movie, with such a serious topic in the title can both entertain and bring out the most extremes in human emotion.

The film then swiftly ushers us to present day focusing on the troops deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq and the countries reaction to going to war over evidence that has yet to be found. While the politics behind the decision may never be known, the actions taken by this nation are examined in great detail. Moore’s stunt in Fahrenheit is to hit up Senators on the street and persuade them to sign their children up for the armed forces. One of the most startling facts in the film is that only one lawmaker, in either the Senate or House of Representatives, has children who are serving in the armed forces. Moore seemed reluctant to put the bit in the film as it only lasts for less than five minutes and Moore only talks to a handful of lawmakers before the film moves on. 

Moore’s “bashing” of America’s leaders has spawned a new trend in Hollywood in using documentaries as vital weapons for any point anyone is wanting to make. The most high profile weapon is the upcoming Michael More Hates America which should prove interesting viewing.

Fahrenheit 9/11 is a great political weapon and a great film, while it’s standing when compared to Bowling for Columbine is still up in the air for me, the subject matter is hits much more closely to home than gun control. Fahrenheit may face opposition from any number of groups before the November election, but if the film can sway enough swing votes for the democratic party to win by one electoral vote, it would have done its job and there will be a new President in office to face the media, celebrities, and, most importantly, the public. No matter what your beliefs of the issues are, it certainly can’t hurt to see Fahrenheit 9/11, if only to add more material to your argument and throw some leaves on the fire.

Tool first hit it big with their third major release Aenima, one of the most fluid and innovative alternative rock albums in recent memory. In 2001, after years in production, Lateralus was released. When you first open the CD case and find the accompanying booklet of a muscle-tissue man, it gives an idea of what the album may contain. The booklet is full of anatomical design; each page adds a new layer of bone, veins, or muscle. Lateralus is much the same! The album makes a full progression from metal anthems to otherworldly, 13-minute elegies.

What first stands out is Maynard James Keenan’s fresh, versatile vocal performance, fueled by his liberating lyrical selection. His voice perfectly fits over the whirlwind of sound and poetry about regret and empowerment. The drumming/percussion is also extremely well done, sometimes featuring additional drummers to cover a wide array of beats, especially in the later songs, such as the instrumental “Triad“. The production and use of electronic dubbing works great to counteract the guitars and drums. The real power of Tool comes from the raw electric guitar, however.

The album begins with “The Grudge,” which reminds everyone that Tool can still rock hard even if they have lightened up a little in the latter songs. Perhaps the best song–and biggest hit–on the album is “Schism,” which fuses metal and “mental” rock together. “Parabol” begins a successful two-track transition from acoustic chanting to electric modern praise of life that will make you want to go out and make the best of the day, with lyrics like, “Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive.” “Ticks & Leeches” is the opposite, reminiscent of Tool’s earlier albums. It is this diversity which makes this such an experience.

Beginning with “Lateralis” (yes, its spelling differs) to the final track, the band has pieced together another lust-for-life mantra of sorts. The former song is similar to “Parabola” in message, but is quite a bit more epic. “Disposition” and “Reflection” seem to take this even further, with the latter sounding as if it would not be out of place in an African tribe ritual. Lateralus is a perfect combination of mantra, poetry, and metal that moves and inspires all who listen. The way each instrument plays off of each other to create this atmosphere is what separates Tool from most alternative rock or metal bands today. They are more versatile, not limited to mere adrenaline fodder. Without the addition of this album to their repertoire, Tool’s full potential probably would not be realized, even if Aenima is fundamentally superior.

It seems as if Tool has created an amalgamate of ideals in Lateralus. How does a band that rocks so hard make its listeners think so much? Many of the following songs repeat a single message: grab life by the horns, know your limits, and be patient. Because of this, the music is almost contradictory. It is a very enjoyable album nonetheless, and might even inspire ambition in its listeners to go out and seize the day!

In our Summer of Cinema 2004 feature earlier this summer I wrote this about The Chronicles of Riddick, “I hope that Universal doesn’t see this as something to exploit and become controlling over in the wake of the success of Lord of the Rings.” While I wasn’t right in my pre-judgment of the film, I wasn’t exactly wrong either. It seems as though all of the parts that made Pitch Black such an excellent sci-fi horror film have been broadened and broken down in creating a new vehicle to launch a new franchise.

The Chronicles of Riddick picks up six years after the final events in Pitch Black. Escaped convict Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel) is once again being hunted by mercenaries for the bounty placed on his head. Riddick manages to escape capture and located the creditor who is offering the reward for his capture. This old friend brings him to New Mecca where Aereon (Dame Judi Dench), an elemental, pleads for Riddick to help her disrupt the reign of the Necromongers, a group of traveling warriors seeking out the Underverse, their promise land. The Necros jump from planet to planet, assimilating the inhabitants and destroying their very existence.

If the film sounds like it doesn’t have much to do with Pitch Black, you are reading correctly. The basic story elements of Riddick are left intact, and the characters that survived the first film are in this one, but newbies to the series, those who haven’t seen the first film, will find Riddick as easily accessible as those who loved the first film. This is where the movie’s major problem lies, Universal built the movie around Riddick this time, and the premise of the character is strong enough to support a trilogy of movies, but the writing in this film is so absurd in some parts that you almost wonder if this was from the same director.

I must give David Twohy credit though; he managed to do what Stephen Somers only dreamed of with Van Helsing, he created a film with amazing architecture, back-story, and sequel elements that will have science fiction fans clamoring for more for the next ten years. Somers could only accommodate 10 minutes of story laced in with his elaborate special effects and “liberties” that turned one of the coolest villains in cinema history into a Kindercare teacher. Twohy established Riddick in the first film, so the trick this time was figuring out a way to craft a story around him so that it would be believable for the character to return and not leave the audience laughing at the absurdity of it. Mind you, this is no laugh-fest like LXG, but you will still be chuckling to yourself at times when the story is suppose to be suspenseful and interesting.

As the story breaks down Riddick realizes that he is one of the only remaining Furions, a race of born warriors who wouldn’t bow to the Necromonger leader Lord Marshal (Colm Feore). After his escape from the Necro Flagship he is transported to a penal colony deep inside a boiling planet where the sun will burn you alive on contact, this proves to hold a bulk of the movie’s main story elements, including Riddick’s reunion with Kyra (Alexa Davalos) who previously went by Jack in Pitch Black. Still, Riddick’s biggest hook is his ability to see in the dark. This ability is drastically underused in the film because it simply isn’t needed. Not being stranded on a planet held in perpetual darkness doesn’t aid itself well to the story. But the screenwriters can’t make up their mind whether Riddick should wear the goggles or not. In Pitch Black we saw him flinch when light was shined in his eye, but in this film he walks through half of the movie without them, and the other half either taking them off or putting them back on.

Those with a keen eye will notice the Shakespearian undertones to one of the movie’s B-storylines which involves Vaako (Karl Urban) and Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton). The constant persistence of the female half of this union prodding her husband to murder his lord and take his rightfully place atop the throne of the Necromongers. For those wondering, read Macbeth.

I still have mixed feelings as to whether I really liked the film or if I was disappointed, and maybe when it comes time to revisit the Summer of Cinema Feature in September I will have different feelings, or maybe a few viewings on DVD will put my mind at ease. As it stands now, The Chronicles of Riddick brings back one of the coolest anti-heroes ever brought to the big screen, but whether the film is a success in the minds of moviegoers and fans remains to be seen.

There has be a lack of great comedy pictures in the last year, and it may not be because studios aren’t trying, but when sequels to endless franchises and old comedic directors attempting to relive former glory, it is hard to get a fresh new idea that brings more to the table than your average racial jokes and footballs to the crotch. Luckily there are studios and producers out there who are willing to take a risk on a new idea and introduce the world to comedy at its finest. This summer first time writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber introduced Dodgeball to us and comedy and sports movie fans will immediately fall in love with this picture.

Dodgeball stars Ben Stiller as White Goodman the face behind one of those massive sports clubs that are, “…better than you, and we know it.” Right across the street we have Average Joe’s Gym composed of a group of guys who just hang out, have fun, and, occasionally, work out. The problem arises when Vince Vaughn’s character of Peter La Fleur is $50,000 in the hole via backed taxes. He only finds out when a beautiful lawyer played by the equally beautiful Christine Taylor pays him a visit. Seeking an opportunity to put the eyesore out of business Goodman decides to buy Average Joe’s and build a parking structure. When the group is made aware of a dodgeball tournament in Las Vegas with a championship award of $50,000 the fun really begins.

The beauty of Dodgeball is the fact that it doesn’t take itself, or anything for that matter, too seriously. The movie knows what it is and is written merely for enjoyment. After seeing the film, however, you may wonder why the big awards shows don’t honor comedy as much as drama considering a great comedy can liven anyone’s day up, but a great drama will usually pull you down. Still, award show bashing aside, Dodgeball really is an underdog story. The movie virtually came out of nowhere, it is from a first time writer/director, and doesn’t feature one of the Wayans brothers in-front of the camera or a Coen brother behind, and still manages to be one of the best comedies all year.

Stiller himself has had his ups and downs this year with the average Along Came Polly and the great buddy-comedy Starsky & Hutch. Vince Vaughn basically plays the exact character he plays in all of his movies, but to much success. The calm, collected, cool guy suits him well and just his facial expressions in reaction to Stiller’s over the top fitness guru are enough to have you in tears at some parts of the film. Stiller’s real-life wife, Christine Taylor, emerges once again in one of her husband’s movies but this time she is really able to show the comedic prowess that we can only hope they pass on to their children.

Not to be outdone the supporting cast adds life to the film as well. Standing out among them is the foul-mouthed, sharp tongued Patches O’Houlihan (Rip Torn) who brings hilarity to every scene he is in until his unfortunate fight with the Luck of the Irish. Stephen Root’s Gordon is a less stressed out version of Milton from Office Space. Alan Tudyk’s Steve the Pirate is also another colorful, and memorable character from the film as a man who really believes he is a pirate.  All in all the entire cast is very strongly placed in their parts and it makes the movie gel all that much better.

Dodgeball is something I like to see during the summer months, an original concept in a sea of over-budgeted flops and inane Hollywood schlock. Dodgeball is a great example of a film that came to fruition because of a good idea and not the belief that dollar signs would follow. If you are looking for a laugh, complete with ball and crotch jokes, give Dodgeball a look, but if you want a feel good story…well, you might also want to check out Dodgeball.

From a Roland Emmerich film you can expect three things, unrelenting peril, awesome special effects, and laughably bad dialog. With The Day After Tomorrow you get all three of these things, pumped up on steroids, and busting through the closest wall, unfortunately the shock and awe of the special effects aren’t enough to outweigh the implausible story elements.

The Day After Tomorrow enlightens us to the fact that global warming is destroying the planet and from the film’s very first scene we know that this will be constantly brought up, like a bad public service announcement on how not carpooling or methane emissions from cows are destroying our planet. Unfortunately we didn’t need a two hour film to tell us this fact by the shear number of complete a-holes trolling around in SUVs and thinking they are mightier than thou. I digress. Tomorrow shows us the effects of another ice age encapsulating our planet and making life difficult to survive in sub artic temperatures.

Tomorrow focuses on Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), a paleo-climatologist, who believes that the polar ice caps will melt and will cause tragic events on the weather of the planet. The Vice President doesn’t believe him (how surprising), and his own theories don’t foresee anything happening for another 100 years. But after it begins snowing in tropical regions and tornados tear apart Los Angeles, people finally start thinking he might be right. Like Independence Day before it, Tomorrow features the calm, collected scientist solving a problem with the help form his assists and ultimately saving the world. Jack, however, sets out on a daring journey to the recently flooded and frozen New York City to rescue his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal).

The main problems with Tomorrow are the increasingly ludicrous plot points that Emmerich throws at us. Things start out with the “super-storms” that are crossing the globe, freezing everything in their path in a matter of seconds. By far, these storms have to be the lamest antagonists this side of “the website” in feardotcom. Still, as if freezing storms weren’t enough, we also have to deal with a boy who has cancer and can’t be moved without an ambulance, a girl who gets a blood infection, and, most ridiculous point of all, hungry wolves. The story tries to be much more serious than it should, and with the aforementioned wolves and their subsequent attack on the survivors in New York, you know that Emmerich was really stretching to find something to pad the script after the destruction of New York and LA only took 15 minutes of film to accomplish.

The shining moment of the film, and most likely one of the funniest bits in cinema all year (intentional or not) is the newscast about illegal immigration of US citizens to Mexico. While people in any state except Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California may not laugh, those who have to deal with the situation find it extremely funny.

The Day After Tomorrow isn’t all bad though, if anything it presents some of the most beautiful and jaw-dropping special effects not seen since the conclusion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The sight of massive tornados ripping apart the greater LA area or a wall of water slamming into New York City will leave you speechless. In fact, if the film was just 90 minutes of natural disasters it might be more entertaining than inane plot point after plot point.

For fans of the director and massive-end-of-the-world films, The Day After Tomorrow may please you enough to hold out for the next big thing. For those of us expecting something to go along with the digital imagery, you will be sorely disappointed in the unintentionally funny story that really stretches the bounds of believability. Scientists may call the movie’s premise bad science, and artists may call the effects beautiful, but as a film summed up to a whole, The Day After Tomorrow is a wall of water that doesn’t leave you very wet at all.

Digital animation is the new wave, as if you needed anyone to tell you that. Aside from the classic works by Pixar Animation Studios, DreamWorks PDI has also delivered a film that is sure to trump Disney’s Finding Nemo as the highest grossing animated picture of all time. That film would be the sequel to the surprising grown-up 2001 hit, Shrek. I, honestly, didn’t know what to expect from Shrek when the film was first released in theaters, in fact, I never actually saw the film until it was released on DVD, but I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. While there are some who eat, drink, and live by the code of Disney, and want nothing to do with animation that doesn’t come form the Mouse House, those diehards will be missing out on one of the funniest, most appropriately adult and child oriented film to come out since the original Shrek.

Shrek 2 picks up right after the original film and begins with a montage of Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) enjoying their honeymoon. The happy couple return home to the swamp to find to unexpected guests. The first is Donkey (Eddie Murphy), who is having problems with Dragon, and the second is a band of messengers from the King (John Cleese) and Queen (Julie Andrews) of Far Far Away summoning their daughter and her new husband to meet them. Of course, the King doesn’t know that the spell placed upon Fiona reverted her to an Ogre-like state, and the certainly don’t know that she has married Shrek.

As can be expected, the King and Queen are less than thrilled about their daughter’s chosen path, especially when the King has a pact with the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) to give Fiona away in marriage to Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). Hilarity ensues as the King tries to do away with Shrek by way of a hired assassin. Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is his name, and being one of the best animated characters of all time is his game. Truth be told, Puss in Boots really makes this movie. Every seen the character is in is truly funny, and every action, from licking himself to swearing in Spanish, really shows that DreamWorks really knows what they are doing.

Shrek 2, itself, is a jab at the over-stylized and over-realized culture that is Hollywood. Upon arriving in Far Far Away our merry band soon discovers that this is a very different place than what they are used to. The city itself resembles Beverly Hills in most aspects including huge mansions for stars, in this case fairy tale stars like Cinderella, and trendy stores all over the place. If you pay attention you will pick up shout-outs to retailers like GAP, Burger King, and a very abusive stab at Starbucks which may be one of the funniest jokes in the entire film.

The Shrek series of films has always been known for its pop-culture references, some blatantly obvious, some not so much. There were times when the entire theater would laugh at a reference, like Fiona kissing Shrek upside-down a la Spider-Man, but there were other times when I felt like I was the only one laughing. In the first five minutes you are treated to a visual onslaught of such references, each one as equally funny as the last. The funniest, bar-none, is a spoof of the popular TV show COPS called KNIGHTS which may require repeat viewings of the film just to get all the jokes.

Like most comedies the film throws tons of stuff your way in the beginning and then tapers off the funny stuff to make way for more dramatic story elements. Still, even with cutting back on the jokes mid-way through, the film is still funnier than most of the schlock released so far this year. As many other critics have stated, this movie will require repeat viewings just to get all of the jokes.

The only unfortunate downside to Shrek 2 is the fact that the movie ends and it will be a good two to three years until we get another dose of the big, green ogre. Hopefully DreamWorks is able to capitalize on the popularity of their 7-77 age comedy and make the upcoming Shark Tale a success. Until then, be sure to check out Shrek 2 (multiple times if needed), because it is sure to be one of the biggest movies of the summer, and very well may be one of the best of the year.

Homer’s epics of The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the greatest literary works in the history of the world. They contain great battles, a great story, and everything that made Ancient Greece one of the most amazing civilizations still studied in school. Wolfgang Peterson’s Troy seriously bobbles the ball when it comes to adapting the source material for a new generation of movie fans and still staying true to the way the story is suppose to be told. While the ending credits note that the film is “inspired by” The Iliad, I seriously hope screenwriters can do better than this in adapting written epics to the big screen.

Truth be told, if this film had been released prior to The Lord of the Rings trilogy I might be singing a different story, but I believe fans are to the point where, after three years of “epic” battles, we have seen enough of massive computer generated armies facing off against one another. Yet, Troy was released nearly six months after the masterpiece that was Return of the King, and we are left with a been-there-done-that feel that may plague historical films for years to come. Add in the nauseating effects of an over-used shaky-cam that makes it almost impossible to discern what is going on during the battle sequences.

Troy tells the story of the mythical city surrounded by high walls and ruled over by King Priam (Peter O’Toole). Priam has sent his two sons, Hector (Eric Bana) and Paris (Orlando Bloom), to make peace with Sparta ruled by King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), brother to Agamemnon (Brian Cox). While in Sparta, Paris falls in love with Helen (Diane Kruger), Menelaus’ wife, and beacons her to return to Troy with him. At this betrayal from the prince of Troy, Menelaus seeks the help of his brother to go to war with Troy. In order to win the war, Agamemnon enlists the help of Odysseus (Sean Bean) who, in turn, recruits the help of Achilles (Brad Pitt) to fight for his country.

Many aspects of the story are well known in pop-culture. The Trojan horse, now made infamous by the Internet viruses of the same name, the battle between Achilles and Hector, and the city of Troy itself. Yet, in adapting the story for the screen some creative “liberties” were taken in order to bring the story to a head much, much faster. Over the course of the 163 minute movie you seem to think the siege of Troy only lasted a few days when, in fact, it lasted many years. The acknowledgement of the existence of the Greek God’s is thrown out the window. IMDB quotes director Wolfgang Peterson as calling the God’s “silly” and “not relevant to the story.” They may not be relevant if they weren’t some of the biggest characters/plot devices in the original work. The existence of the God’s tells of origins of Achilles and the fall of the great warrior. Therefore, story never goes into the origins of Achilles and never even acknowledges that he is invincible except for a small portion of his heel. But he can dodge things pretty damn well.

Casting of the characters seems reasonably well done. Eric Bana’s Hector is exactly how I pictured the character when reading the original story and Brad Pitt’s Achilles is almost what you would expect. Brian Cox, as usual, over-acts his character of Agamemnon, but by the end of the film you will be ready to see his fate, except for the fact that it is never suppose to happen. The “liberties” that I spoke of before erase characters, create new ones, and change the fate of others who are suppose to survive to have further adventures in further books. The only casting choice that I found spot on was Sean Bean as Odysseus. The man has a way about him that makes him entirely likable even when playing the villain, but in this case, he gets to play one of the biggest heroes of all time.

My displeasure for the film doesn’t mean I didn’t have a good time watching it, but knowing the original story, and seeing what was changed made me think entirely too hard on the negatives rather than the positives. Coming home and refreshing on the mythology and the original works through a bit of Internet research, made me realize just how much they had changed the source material. While I’m not against a little bit of creative freedom, when you change one of the most well known literary works of all time, you had better change it for the better. Screenwriter David Benioff should stay away from any more literary works and leave the transitions to people like Peter Jackson who are able to change things and still wow audiences world wide. One can only hope that if an update to The Odyssey is planned in the very near future, no one associated with this film will be allowed within 30ft with the intention to use an “inspired by” credit.