6. Troy (2004)
Warner Bros.Of all the historical epics that followed in the wake of Gladiator's success, Wolfgang Petersen's $175m Troy was both the most expensive and the most successful, earning almost $500m at the box office. Although the movie offers little in the way of character development or memorable dialogue, the material is elevated thanks to an A-list ensemble cast, stunning production design and several crowd-pleasing set-pieces. Eric Bana's commanding performance marks him out as the standout performer, with Brian Cox's relish in chewing the scenery coming in a close second. The impressive roster also includes Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Brendan Gleeson, Sean Bean and the legendary Peter O'Toole, but the real star of the show are the combat scenes; a seamless mixture of CGI and grandiose sets give the movie an epic feel reminiscent of the swords-and-sandals productions of Golden Age Hollywood, directed with no shortage of confidence and style. While Troy isn't one of the genre's more complex efforts, it could well be the most fun.