Well it won't have been too hard for it to have been better than 'Troy' or 'King Arthur' so that's not saying much. :p

I haven't watched the movie. Initially I wasn't very happy that they had removed the fantasy aspect of the story - the tip of the dragon's tongue, the broken sword - but I think that was unfair of me. (Though after the experience of Troy and Arthur in the genre of 'defantasizing' legends, can you blame me? :p)

Your analysis makes me want to watch it now. Which I planned on doing eventualy though. Miss a film that has James Franco in the buff? Not likely! :D