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List Price: $26.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 1039
Released: July 31, 2007 |
| Our Price: $7.72 |
| Used Price: $5.98 |
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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.Running Time: 116 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 116 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: R UPC: 085391162858 Manufacturer No: 116285
Description of 300 (Two-Disc Special 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 (Two-Disc Special Edition) Reviews:
This is a pretty cool movie, but not for everyone 
2008-08-21 - First of all looks great on BR. The movie is a definite younger guy flick.
300 - Visual spectacular gore fest 
2008-08-19 - 300 was a huge success, due largely in part to the splendid CGI backgrounds and limitless display of bloodshed. I was caught up in its success for several months before I watched it a few more times asking "is it really that good?" Although it will appeal to fans of the graphic novel, and mainstream action moviegoers when you pick it apart on a critical level you'll see how it fails to compare to other epics based on similar time periods. In no way those this rock `em sock `em action joy ride hold a light to such films as Spartacus or Gladiator or any other of the notable films of this period in time. I can see how this works as a graphic novel, but the same style just can't come across as excellence on screen.
My biggest complaint has to be the poor dialogue in this film, which can only be described as taunts you'd typically see inside a wrestling stadium, characters allows shouting at the top of their lungs. The things they say lack charisma, it just seems very unreal.
If you want a real representation of this point in history go looking for another film, but if you want a great visual feast of gore and mayhem (like I am when I sit down to watch this film every now and then) then this film is perfect, especially when you're angry.
A good 3 out of 5 stars for 300 for visuals, but lack of dialogue and other key items missing from the script.
Oh My... 
2008-08-18 - It has been so long since I watched a movie that left me speechless at the end. This is one of the most visually amazing movies I have ever seen. Where else do a group of Spartan soldiers hide behind a massive wall of bodies, simply to send it tumbling onto their enemy as they approach. It is a bold action film with minimal plot, but outstanding visual effects and action sequences that keep you gripped to the very end. The determination of the Spartans is a little unsettling as they face unbelievable perils while chuckling, but surprisingly, this adds to (if not drives) the enjoyment of the film.
This is a must see for everyone who loves action and wants to know where the future of action movies is headed. Two words: green screen.
Bronze, Brawn and Blood!
2008-08-13 - WARNING: This film contains brutal, graphic, stylized action/violence, sexuality/partial nudity, and fascist ideologies.
Based upon Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name, 300 is the bloody story of King Leonidas who lead three hundred of his bravest Spartan warriors into battle against overwhelming odds. The film is an impressive exercise in the use of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) and was made on a relatively small budget. Technically the film is an extraordinary achievement but artistically it's somewhat lacking. This is due in part to the story itself, which oversimplifies a massively complex historical period and is also due to the inaccuracies presented as though they were obvious to every viewer. I don't think that your average "action film audience" member is familiar with ancient military or political histories, nor do I think that all viewers will understand the social implications that this film makes. Frank Miller himself has pointed out the liberties he's taken with history and makes no excuses, saying, "I've never been accused of realism and I never deserve to be."
It would be silly of me to accuse the film or the graphic novel of being an unrealistic or inappropriate portrait of the battle of Thermopylae, so I won't focus on the many deviations from reality. Rather, my reason for having mixed feelings about the film comes from the fact that it is so clearly a pro-war film. There's much emphasis on the necessity of war and the glory of dying in battle, which considering current events seems like a strange and potentially dangerous statement to be making, especially when the events the differences between the Persian invasion and the Iraq war are so obvious. If a comparison is to be made there are certain things that must be taken into account. There are many differences between the last stand at Thermopylae (480 B.C.) and the U.S./Iraq conflict.
1. First of all, there have been phenomenal technological advances in which we have the advantage. If Greece is to be viewed as an allegory for the U.S., one must also consider the fact that we are technologically better equipped than the opposing forces in modern Iraq. In ancient Greece, though they were making revolutionary technological progress, the Persians would have had the advantage mainly because their empire was so vast that they had control over some of the most creative and innovative minds.
2. We outnumber the Iraqi insurgents whereas Leonidas and the Greeks were in the minority back then. While the Persians were creating an empire by conquering one nation after another and amassing an enormous army, the threat that we face is significantly smaller in number. In fact they are the underdogs, which if the theory is correct could mean that one day religious and political terrorists will be looked upon with the same sense of romanticism as piracy in the Caribbean and slavery in the Southern United States. This is something that is truly frightening.
3. Though Leonidas and the Spartans are given much of the praise for the ultimate defeat of the Persians, it was in actuality the Greek navy who was responsible for their victory (the battle of Thermopylae was in essence a sideshow, the real decisive battle was that of Plataea). This is in direct contrast with today where the government is either praised or blamed for the accomplishments and foibles in Iraq. Today the soldier is often forgotten or vilified while politicians bask in the spotlight.
The story is very straight forward as it follows he-man King Leonidas, who foresees Persia's imminent invasion of Greece and tells of his attempt to stop it. King Leonidas, like all male Spartans, was sent to the agoge (a brutal school where young boys are trained to become soldiers or die trying), where at the age of seven he began military training of the highest caliber. Upon his return he is crowned king and he becomes a popular yet controversial leader. Years later, when Persian messengers come to offer Leonidas to align himself with the "God-King", Xerxes, Leonidas slaughters the messengers and essentially brings the wrath of the Persian Empire upon his people (this is a dramatic departure from the historical truth). The Spartan political world is greatly dependent on religious ritualism, so Leonidas goes to the fabled city of Delphi to see the Oracle (a prophet and priestess). There it becomes apparent that the Oracle is being manipulated by other priests and that they are in league with Xerxes. He is told that he is forbidden to go to war and Leonidas realizes that if Greece is to survive in its present form then he must take the western world's fate into his own hands. He gathers three hundred of his greatest soldiers and they march to Thermopylae (translates to the Hot Gates), an enclosed area off the shoreline and the most readily accessible access to Greece. When the Persians arrive they battle it out with the Spartans (in reality there were also hundreds of other Greeks present, not just the three hundred Spartans), hacking off limbs, shattering bones and basically committing one savage act of violence after another. At first the Spartans hold their ground but the sheer number of their opponents (historical documents vary; some say that the Persian army that fought at Thermopylae was only six thousand strong while other say that there was an astounding million) proves to be their downfall. However their deaths inspire Greece to go to war where Persia is finally defeated at Plataea.
Another reason for the film's controversy is that the story appears to be a celebration of fascism. The Greeks are viewed as being muscular, heroic, Herculean figures of honor and duty, but the Persian army (which consist of Asian, African and Middle-eastern warriors) is portrayed as being sadistic, dominating, sexually perverse and dishonest. There's a great deal of racial and cultural stereotyping which will undoubtedly offend some viewers. There's also a strong homophobic atmosphere (much like the works of Nietzsche). The muscular Spartans refer to the intellectual Athenians as being "philosophers and boy-lovers", which may be true in some sense. In ancient Greece, homosexuality was common and it didn't have the social stigma that it carried after the rise of Judeo-Christian values.
It's also unfortunate that the filmmakers have attempted to make ancient Spartan society a parable for the United States. If this is what we are to become, what our modern society is born of, if these are the values that we embrace then the future is indeed bleak.
Yet with all of these things in mind I can still recommend 300. For one it's a fascinating reflection of our current moral attitudes and our disturbing fascination with violence. It's also a reminder of the perils of extremist viewpoints and social hypocrisy. The film is really only enjoyable if viewed as mindless pulp entertainment, but it's thoroughly depressing when viewed as an allegory.
Also recommended for those interested in learning about the historical events that inspired this film:
The Histories
Republic
Thermopylae: The Battle For The West
Thermopylae 480 BC: Last stand of the 300
The History Channel Presents Last Stand of the 300 - The Legendary Battle at Thermopylae
The 300 Spartans
Almost perfect
2008-08-13 - If I could re-write the graphic novel it is based on I'd have the epilogue being the tale told by beings in a far future earth preparing for a desperate last battle, perhaps protecting a giant space ark from Abhumans just long enough so it can launch, sacrificing themselves in the process.
The movie was incredible, but short of perfection by the inclusion of modern "Right Wing" bias to it. And I've seen this seized on by mentally defective persons who buy the "Right Wing" line of Rich Elite worship and hate speech masked as patriotism.
And the real irony is, without this movie if anything about Spartan culture had been proposed they'd have called the person a Communist, a Nazi (social Darwinism), a homosexual and a NAMBLA member. That same "Lykurgos" the Law-Giver did cool things like banning money. That traitor ambassador wouldn't have had anything to spend his ill gotten shekels on. To be precise, money wasn't banned, but it had to be in large iron disks, coins were forbidden as was gold, decorating a mantle in gold or silver or jewels, displays of wealth... The long and short, yes you could make rare big purchases, like a new ox to plow your fields, but there was no 'coin' to casually spend on frivolity. And without that, there were no people coming to supply that market, no sellers of wares, no whore mongers, no usurers... In short, Lykurgos was an early Communist. He 're-distributed' the land, btw...
And the Spartans were mercenaries, but at least they were defending their own land in that battle. They went on foreign wars all the time, BUT they chose their battles VERY carefully, and this choice was "how does this benefit us?" If King Leonidas could talk to today's impoverished troops, he'd doubtless tell them to mutiny and set up their own little mini-kingdom in Iraq, and use that position to profit off oil sales.
The story itself is a bit different from History. In RL the traitor was a farmer who was unhappy with his lot in society, since the warrior class were tops and had fun beating everyone but their women when they weren't at war to keep them afraid of them. And the oracle said in RL that Sparta would fall but that future could be averted if the king gave his life. Yes, this is real.
Other bits of artistic license are cool, though. The RL battle would have been boring to today's audience, mainly because it'd be hard to watch. They didn't randomly break their Phalanx to do acrobatics, they'd have been wiped out in seconds. The Persians had another traitor, an exile from Sparta who gave the king warning; "No Spartans are not ten feet tall or superhuman. By himself a Spartan while certainly strong and a good fighter, is no different than any other man. What makes them so effective is that through their lifestyle and training they can all act as one individual, be they by the dozens or by the thousands."
A more RL edit of this movie would be better, like the giant bridge Xerxes built a mile long to reach Sparta, of scuttled ships.
