300
300 is a film adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name. The 2007 film, directed by Zack Snyder with Miller as executive producer and consultant, traces a fictional account of the Battle of Thermopylae with highly stylized action and impressive visuals. The film was shot mostly with bluescreen, so as to capture the effect and feel of the graphic novel, much like Sin City. 300 works on a large scale, using color and good framing to set up scenes that captivate the viewer and thrill the audience.
The film covers Spartan King Leonidas, played with classic intensity by Gerard Butler (Dracula 2000, The Phantom of the Opera), and 300 Spartan soldiers as they fight to the death against the Persian King Xerxes, played by Rodrigo Santoro. Back in Sparta, Queen Gorgo, played by Lena Headey, tries to get reinforcements to back up her husband and king. The narrator of the story is one of the Spartan soldiers, Dilios, who weaves a tale of heroics and great battles.
300 likely falls under the format of historical fantasy, due to the fact that many mythical creatures are introduced in the battle sequences. The battles are quite impressive, with the visual style working wonders with great battle choreography and action. The strategy of the Spartan army works wonders and their charges are lively and invigorating. 300 plays out some of the best broad action sequences in recent memory, complete with rousing soundtrack featuring rock guitars and sweeping symphonic blasts. The sequences are all spears, arrows, shields and amazing effects. Some of the sequences, however, seem a bit too short and, as a matter personal desire, I wish I could have seen more of the rhino and elephant scenes.
300 ruled at the box office. It was the third biggest opening for an R-rated film ever, right behind The Matrix Reloaded and The Passion of the Christ. It also set a new box office record in Greece. The studio was apparently blown away by the results of the box office, as 300 apparently made twice what was expected. It is certainly a crowd-pleaser at heart, with rousing speeches and thrilling action with plenty of blood and decapitations.
Visually stunning, 300 is a grand epic and a small myth at the same time. The performances are solid, the dialogue is ripped from the graphic novel and the heroics are the order of the day. 300 is the ideal comic book/historical epic/action film and should serve as the prototype for anyone attempting this kind of film in the future. It falls short of telling the human story of many of its fellows, but it also doesn’t try to. 300 is about the heroes of Sparta and about the style. Character development and plot details can take a backseat to that, as far as I’m concerned.
There’s a lot of buzz about the apparent racism, homophobia and miscalculated historical accuracy in the film. I’d hope that, as moviegoers, we’d learn some things from 300 as a film. For starters, the film’s design is not to preach at audiences and convert them to the point of view of the film’s protagonists. 300 is a film designed to entertain and to tell a story. Those who critique 300, which is a film based on a graphic novel, on the basis of historical accuracy are a little off-base in terms of the arena in which they level their critique. 300 doesn’t try to be historically accurate. The racism claims are ridiculous, but I suppose adding a few people of different races to the Spartan army might have cured that. As for the homophobia, one remark about certain Greeks doesn’t equate to homophobic undertones unless there is an ax to grind. Unfortunately for an achievement such as 300, it appears that far too many people do.
For a film like 300, it’s too bad that many critics look for a political statement first and watch a film for it’s cinematic value second. These are the same critics, however, that saw The Passion of the Christ and chided it for being anti-Semitic without examining the key components of source material. 300 is a story, plain and simple. It is based on a graphic novel, contains elements of fantasy and is a purely fictional work. It is also very enjoyable, dramatic and a hell of a good time at the movies.
8.5/10
Trailer:
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