Diane Kruger as Helen is a terrible mistake. When I first saw the movie 10 years ago I was taken aback the second I saw Helen. I watched the movie again last night and had the same impression.
Now Diane Kruger is pretty, but she is no stunner, has zero presence and is absolutely not an actress. In all the scenes she is stiff and unexpressive like a broom.
Angelina Jolie would have been a great Helen. Or Catherine Zeta-Jones.
I somewhat agree. I definitely had the reaction of "Wait... THAT's Helen? 'The face that launched a thousand ships'? I mean, she's very pretty and all, but..." I knew she looked familiar but it took me a while to realize, I think this is the only other role I've seen her in aside from Inglorious Basterds.
Jolie? Ehhhh... She got my motor runnin' when she had really short hair back in the mid 90s, but I never thought much of her after that. Those humongous asshole lips look goofy to me.
Catherine Zeta-Jones? When they shot the movie in 2003? HELL YES.