300

I picked the movie last week, so my friend Amber got to pick it this week. She chose 300. All I knew going into it was that it's been #1 at the box office for a few weeks, it was shot all on green screen and that it is gory as hell. I guess it being based on a Frank Miller novel would be why.

I really enjoyed it. I didn't know what to expect, but was warned about the blood and gore. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film is also written by Snyder and Kurt Johnstad. I'm going to be a lazy ass and copy-paste this right from the IMDB page of the movie. "Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army against the advancing Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band together against the Persians, and helped usher in the world's first democracy."


The film opens with a sequence showing how Spartan men are raised and trained with one purpose, which is to be warriors. Starring Gerald Butler as King Leonidas, King of the Spartans and Lena Headey, who is absolutely gorgeous, as his wife, Queen Gorgo. King Leonidas is approached by a Persian messenger sent by the Persian King Xerxes (played by Rodrigo Santoro, who is also Karl, the hot ass engineer Laura Linney's character crushes on in Love Actually). They are warned by the messenger that Persia wishes to take over Greece and they can surrender peacefully now or go to War. Leonidas consults with the Oracle, who advises him not to go to war because they won't win. Leonidas decides he has no choice and gathers 300 of his best men to march out to keep the Persians from advancing. So begins the bloody war.


This is based on a real battle but is obviously not meant to be a true to life re-enactment. Certain aspects are added for dramatic effect like the immortal soldiers, strange, killing hippo creatures, and the fact that King Xerxes is half man, half God and a giant. I loved the rockin' soundtrack that would come in from time to time, which was a nice touch. The cinematography was great, too, and I loved the visuals and the fast/slow motion shots during the battle scenes. I can tell whether I've found a movie good or not by the conversation I have with Amber when we leave the theater. If the conversation is about what didn't quite work or what was annoying, it was bad. If the conversation is about the parts we liked and what was cool, it was good. I really liked it, but when I asked Amber what she thought of it, she said, "Eh." She wondered why the Persian King was a great, big drag queen and asked, "After that one battle scene, where the hell did the apple come from?" (that King Leonidas was eating). So, you may like it or you may wonder why Xerxes is a great, big drag queen.

300
7.5/10
Recommended: If you like a good action movie and don't mind a lot of blood, if you like good eye candy (male or female) or if you like war movies.

Leonidas: "We Spartans have descended from Hercules himself. Taught never to retreat, never to surrender. Taught that death in the battlefield is the greatest glory he could achieve in his life. Spartans: the finest soldiers the world has ever known. "

More ramblings to come......