Hector vs. Achilles (Vote) - Troy (2004) Discussion

[–] Stenian 9 years ago

Hector.

He was a far much better man.

Achilles was barbaric.

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[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

Hector lost and Achilles won.
Means were immaterial.
End of.

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[–] prasadceleb 9 years ago

Achilles wasn't barbaric. He was a warrior. There is a difference. He knew far better than anyone the consequences of the war and was in it only for the glory. He didn't kill people mindlessly just for the thrill of it. For someone with remarkably gifted killing skills, that is a far more revering trait. And he also respected his opponents. He only went against Hector to avenge his cousin. Remember that Achilles had the easiest chance to kill Hector in the temple of Apollo and he let him go. His conversation with Briseis, Priam and Odysseus are testimony to the fact that he was a far more philosophical man than anyone on the Greeks side. The fact that he respects Priam more than Agamemnon also tells that he had deep intuition of people's characters. Hector lost the war when he let his brother take Helen to Troy when he should have returned her to Menelaus. Achilles repented killing Hector after his conversation with Priam and the line he says:"We will meet soon brother" also tells he knew he wasn't all immortal despite being thought of as invincible. Hector was without a doubt the best Trojan & the best son but just because it was made to look to sympathize for him doesn't mean he should win. More importantly both of them fought for noble causes.

However this movie only depicts the Greeks shown as the bad guys where as history has a far different truth.

Yes, for me it was and always will be Achilles.

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[–] geode 9 years ago

Hector, the finest son a father had ever had.

Oh Lord, you gave them eyes but they cannot see...

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[–] WadoodS 9 years ago

Achilles!!!

"If you are good at something. Never do it for free." - Joker

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[–] the_la_baker 9 years ago

Hector, but the film was set up that way. We were made to empathize and admire him.

On another note: I am no expert, but I think the sword fighting, especially in that scene, was far superior to any I have seen on screen yet. Usually they are obviously hacking at the shield or sword, a retarded tactic never once employed by a real swordsman, but in this film them appear to actually be trying to strike their opponents body and are actively dodging, deflecting, and blocking the blows.

It felt very real with a few minor exceptions.

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[–] purple_honey1 9 years ago

Hector..and I went in the theater a fierce BP fan.

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Cheers!

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[–] MVictorPjinsiste 7 years ago

It was spectacular for sure, but at times quite silly. Just look at the practice between Achilles and Patrocles, for what I mean. All full-extension moves with no cares for defense - typical Hollywood.

In the Achilles-Hector fight, Pitt carries his spear across his back for a while - that's got to be the most stupid battle posture I ever witness since that Crane posture in Karate Kid. A meddling soldier of career could simply have charged at him with his shield to instantly put him out-of-balance, but there, men hardly came in contact with another when fighting.

I agree with another poster who wrote that the Hector-Ajax fight was more interesting.

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[–] reikun86 7 years ago

I liked the fight scene too. There were no stuntmen used in that scene, so it was really Brad Pitt and Eric Bana. :)

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[–] SanForZeke 9 years ago

I wanted Achilles to win. Though not because I favored him over Hector. Hector was a good guy, his one "flaw" was that he couldn't stand letting family get hurt, even though it brought Troy into war. I can more than understand, being unable to throw his brother to the wolves, even if said brother stole the alphawolf's finest meat.

But his father, and brother. The first one is a fool who favors the signs from his priest rather than the son who just happens to be Troy's best warrior - thus, he orders the battle that brings Achilles on the road of vengeance. The other one is the idiot that started the whole mess and then couldn't own up to his mistakes when his life was on the line.

So, because of the decisions of these two, they (and Troy) loses the best man they/it had. I hope they considered their signs of victory and Helen worth the life of Hector and the city of Troy, but I felt bad for Hector (the guilt he must have felt after killing Patroclus) and his wife and child.

So, rant over. Achilles. That's the punishment you get when you're a selfish brat and an arrogant old man who doesn't listen to your son who knows tactics and wars better than priests.

Oh, and to that guy in the war-room: The best of Troy *didn't* take the best of Greece at any day. Bet he sat with a cloak over his head during the Hector/Achilles fight.
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