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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 2534
Released: July 31, 2007 |
| Our Price: $6.75 |
| Used Price: $1.90 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.
Description of 300 (Full Screen Edition):
Like Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae.
More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it's not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller's source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book's images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered "bosses" if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn't involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity--more female, less male--than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller's work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. --David Horiuchi
300 (Full Screen Edition) Reviews:
Whispering actors ruin the Blu-ray DVD of "300" -- or what? 
2009-11-28 - Half an hour into the Blu-ray DVD of "300" I switched off in order to belatedly study the Amazon reviews, in order to discover if anyone else found the sound so badly muffled, with mumbling, whispering actors, but it seems I may be the only victim, with the volume of our quite new Sony Bravia TV turned to maximum level.
As I have several revamped 70-years-plus films on DVD, including the 1938 masterpiece of Errol Flynn's and Olivia DeHavilland's "Robin Hood", with clear sound, I am baffled as to why 2007 sound technology can be so crudely and feebly inferior.
As for "300" itself, I wondered why they bothered to try to improve on the original "The 300 Spartans" film featuring Richard Egan and Sir Ralph Richardson, created so magnificently in 1962 with credibly effective Spartan armour and uniforms, not the almost-naked he-men ludicrously unsoldierly portrayal of King Leonidas's "300"!!!
Having endured the rest of "300", its music not too bad except for the occasional now crudely-fashionable overdone, mindless percussion, the sound quality was at its almost inaudible worst during scenes back home in Sparta, but very loud during one of the add-on interviews with producers. The only character to impress me with credible portrayal was the courageous Queen of Sparta.
As a campaigner for facts on global warming, I am well used to disputing reason versus fantasy, so I recommend study of Amazon viewers' opinions on the 1962 film, some damning or praising the 2007 version of the Spartans' truly 'magic' action in and around a mountain narrow coastal pass in what is now Turkey, long obliterated by collapsing sediment.
I firmly commend the book "The Year of Thermopylae" by Ernle Bradford (Macmillan, 1980), which includes a now topically controversial mention of 480BC Persian King of Kings Xerxes boasting of Aryan stock!!! Also now topical is Bradford's study therein of 480BC developments in close-quarters weapons, because 20th century former cavalry colonel Allan Mallinson's 1790s-1830s novels surely provide ample evidence for the versatile sabre to be reintroduced in today's British Army in Afghanistan!
The 1962 film remains an oft-viewed treasure to me, while the 2007 Blu-ray DVD monstrosity is destined for the next charity bag. If the film makers want something also stupendous to work on, I suggest they accurately study the colossal Sea Battle of Salamis, with the fleets of Greece and Persia confined to narrow waters, with bloody fighting across the decks of all the ships jammed tightly together. There is far too much sheer magic in true or as near as possible true history for its needing to be fantasised.
Alan H Dale.
300 :) 
2009-11-27 - I absolutely love this movie. This is by far the best adaptation of one of Frank Miller's graphic novels. I highly recommend this movie to anyone that enjoys a good war movie or something historical-related. One word of caution on the history though, keep in mind that while the general history is preserved in tact this is an adaptation of a GRAPHIC NOVEL, so it is not going to be completely accurate as it is going to have elements of fantasy, most of which is symbolic not historic. In other words kids, don't base your history essay off the movie; although, there are some wonderful historical commentaries included on the disc which would be of use in a history class essay or research paper. Just don't forget to footnote.
A note on the blu-ray: The blu-ray is mostly absolutely fantastic. The movie was shot a little grainy at times on purpose (don't forget, it is supposed to be like watching a graphic novel), and this is most evident when David Wenham's character is relating the story of the movie to the Greek army on the eve of the battle at Plataea. In those scenes, the graininess is almost a little too distracting. Other than that, the blu-ray looks magical.
"Don't Mess with the Spartans" 
2009-11-21 - These guys would have won the war if they'd had another dozen men.
Product arrived safely and in excellent condition.
"Prepare For Glory!" ~ In Pursuit Of A Beautiful Death
2009-11-02 - Watching the amazing. hallucinatory 2007 film '300' is a visual treat not soon to be forgotten, it's like experiencing history through the eyes of Salvador Dali. To make the viewing experience even more impressive is the inclusion of a highly intelligent script with dialogue that resonates with the audiences intellect and emotions. Action and philosophy merge as one as deeds and word meld into a comprehensive worldview examining the paradigms of both the people of Sparta and those that would seek to enslave them. As the brave 300 battle against insurmountable odds a profound Spartan philosophy of war is lived out before your eyes and one comes to understand and embrace what they are doing and the reason behind their willingness to die for the greater good.
'300' is a one-of-a-kind film that I will never get tire of watching. It's an absolutely astonishing cinematic achievement!
Entertaining, but......... 
2009-10-29 - This is an entertaining movie to a point. Yes, it's based on fact, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to say just how much. I was expecting to see a regular historical movie but was very disappointed in the fact that it had "supernatural" occurances and creatures. Also, I'm not deaf in the least, but I and my husband had a lot of trouble understanding some of the dialog. Would I recommend this movie...no.
