Revealing mistake: When Boagrius throws the first spear in the shot facing Achilles, Boagrius leans in to throw it and then stands straight just when the (CG) spear nearly reaches Achilles, who still has his shield at his side. In the next shot facing Boagrius the (CG) spear is still near Boagrius, who stands straight, and Achilles raises his shield for the incoming spear. This spear casts a (CG) shadow as it heads toward Achilles and when the ('real') spear tip penetrates Achilles' shield, there are other (CG) spear shadows on the ground heading toward Achilles - but NO spears. (00:08:00)
Revealing mistake: When Boagrius falls after Achilles stabs him, in the close-up the two squares (gauze perhaps?) taped to his knees are clearly visible, when he hits the ground and his legs go up. (00:08:20)
Revealing mistake: Odysseus normally has wavy/curly hair that reaches the base of his neck, yet just before Hector cuts Patroclus' throat, when Odysseus' helmet slips forward as he fights and the white cap is visible, his hair is very short and straight in back. It's also apparent earlier, when he visits Achilles in Phtia. (00:22:05 - 01:42:25)
Revealing mistake: When Hector and Paris return to Troy with Helen, in the first shot they pass through the gate and head down the long path through the city. Then later, when the soldiers head for the armory and when Hector walks through the gate for the face off with Achilles, the path is substantially different. The statue and actual buildings' positions, the curve of the road, etc., are completely different. (This has nothing to do with camera angle.) (00:27:40 - 01:57:00)
Revealing mistake: When Paris and Hector ride back into Troy with Helen (in the chariot), Paris's cloak is held on the armor with blue laces complete with little plastic ends. Similar laces, in various colors, on others' cloaks are also visible in the film. Plastic was not invented until the 20th century. (00:28:00)
Revealing mistake: Just before Priam and Hector speak about Paris and Helen, the camera pans the exterior of the palace at the start of the shot. Later, when the camera pans up after Achilles dies, the same structures are visible, yet part of the stone buildings (beyond the statues that stand beside the grass) and a piece of the wall around the palace, are completely different. (This has nothing to do with camera angles.) (00:30:15 - 02:31:10)
Revealing mistake: When Priam and Hector speak about Paris and Helen, there is a shot from behind them where the city below is clearly visible, as they stand on the balcony. Later, when Priam sees the devastating fires he stands on the same balcony (the statues are visible behind him in the close-up), and the city's buildings, etc., are entirely different than the earlier shot. (00:31:10)
Revealing mistake: As the vast army of Greeks approach the shores of Troy, there is a close-up of Eudorus' legs as he makes his way to Achilles at the bow of the ship. As he walks, the very thick rubber soles with lovely, intricate, modern treads are perfectly visible on his old fashioned sandals with each step that he takes. Countless times the treads are actually identical on different character's sandal's soles. (00:35:55)
Revealing mistake: Throughout the movie, especially in the scenes which take place in the Troy encampment, no matter how many times Achilles gets dirty in battle and then cleans up, there is always a small smudge on his left upper arm. In the right light, you can make out the distinctive, small, circular scar of a small pox vaccination right where that dirt smudge is - it's really quite distracting. Until 1972 in the US this was a common vaccination given to children. (00:37:30)
Revealing mistake: After Achilles and the Myrmidons arrive on shore, the Trojans let loose a barrage of fiery arrows, and when one lands in the thigh of a man still aboard the ship, the fake leg skin around the protruding arrow is quite obvious. (00:39:45)
Revealing mistake: After they arrive on Troy’s shore, a particular Myrmidon is hit and falls overboard into the water. After a few shots another Myrmidon is hit with two arrows and he too promptly falls overboard into the water, and then loses his wig in the water (after the helmet). (00:39:55)
Revealing mistake: In many extreme close-ups, the large white reflector screens are clearly reflected in the eyes of the actors and actresses. (00:40:20 - 01:11:10)
Revealing mistake: The characteristics of the severe scars on Ajax's forehead, cheek and shoulders differ significantly in his close-ups. (00:41:35)
Revealing mistake: When Ajax slams the hammer end of his spear into a man, he has his shield at his back. The top arrow in the shield is bent at a 90° angle and as Ajax moves the top (plastic) arrow droops down and the bottom arrow actually flops around. While still in the same location, when he sticks his spear into the sand and pulls the arrow out of his thigh, the arrows on his shield are gone. (00:42:20)
Revealing mistake: When Ajax first arrives on Troy's shores an arrow penetrates his right thigh. The darker skinned latex material surrounding his thigh is perfectly distinguishable from his own light skin in the wide shots. Then after he breaks off part of the arrow, the rest which remains in his thigh disappears in consecutive shots. (00:42:35)
Revealing mistake: The long distinctive scar on Glaucus' left cheek drastically changes severity, shape, length, etc., in all of his close-ups. (00:57:20 - 01:54:45)
Revealing mistake: When Menelaus slices Paris' leg the wound stops bleeding immediately after that shot. (01:15:15)
Revealing mistake: Most of the Greek and Trojan armor, in their own respective ways, look more manufactured so they are perfect clones of one another. Real armor from that time would have had lots of imperfections and signs of being individually created and hand-crafted. (01:17:20)
Revealing mistake: When Agamemnon and the Greeks charge at the Trojans after Menelaus is killed, in the close-ups during the melee, quite a few of the spears actually wobble in the soldiers' hands, like for example, when the Apollonians throw their spears. (01:18:20)
Revealing mistake: After Menelaus is killed the two armies clash. In the second close-up of the men fighting, when a Trojan slams a large club-like weapon into a Greek's face, the club end bends when blood spurts everywhere. (01:18:20)
Answer: They didn't know the Greeks weren't bringing cavalry. The Greeks did use them and sometimes brought them by sea. It was there to stop a cavalry charge and to break up fighting formations.
LorgSkyegon