War looms large for two mighty civilisations on opposite sides of the Aegean.

Paris, the handsome and impetuous Prince of Troy (Orlando Bloom), falls in love with Helen, Queen of Sparta (Diane Kruger), and steals her away from her husband, King Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson).

This betrayal lights the touch-paper for a war between Greece and Troy, the latter ruled by the ageing King Priam (Peter O'Toole).

Menelaus's greedy, power-crazed brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) unites the tribes of Greece to steal Helen back from Troy and defend the King's honour.

The Greeks bring with them their most feared soldier, Achilles (Brad Pitt), an arrogant and seemingly invincible warrior intent on furthering his own reputation.

However, Troy has a champion of its own, mighty Prince Hector (Eric Bana), who commands the love and respect of his people.

These two men lead their nations into conflict; cities burn, thousands fall, and all for the love of a woman.

Troy is the best of the summer blockbusters so far but that's hardly a glowing recommendation.

The dialogue is constantly at odds with the setting and seems to have been cut and pasted from a Mills & Boon novel.

For example, when Helen demands that Paris leave her sleeping quarters, he whimpers seductively: "That's not what you said last night." She retorts dourly: "Last night was a mistake."

I confess, I giggled.

Screenwriter David Benioff cuts the heart and soul out of Homer's Iliad, completely excising the gods.

Zeus and the other Olympians become completely benign, leaving the humans to their own devices, even turning a blind eye when Achilles desecrates a temple dedicated to Apollo.

Pitt is an imposing central presence, muscles rippling during the various battle sequences, but it's a one-note performance.

There's scant allusion to the fragile man behind the myth or the passion which drives Achilles to his tragic fate.

Bana is far more convincing, adeptly getting beneath the skin of a prince whose love for his wife and child sustain him, while O'Toole is simply sensational.

The scene in which Priam tearfully begs Achilles for the return of his son's body is the film's one true moment of emotional honesty.

Bloom looks pretty.

Wolfgang Petersen directs the action sequences with plenty of energy but the sight of hundreds of thousands of computer generated men clashing in widescreen soon loses impact.

In fact, the most compelling and exhilarating set-piece is a one-on-one fight to the death between Achilles and Hector, where the physical exertion of both actors is clear to see.

Amidst the clunky dialogue and unintentional laughs, Troy boasts some solid performances, a couple of truly thrilling skirmishes and Brad's softly lit posterior.

The other 120 minutes are well dressed, digitally-enhanced padding.