REVIEW - "300" (2007)

Now that I've had plenty of time to think it over after all the hype, I must say "300" is a fantastic movie. It's visual poetry. It's powerful opposition. And frankly it pumps you up. I've read reviews both blasting the movie for its style and praising it for the same thing. One review read something along the lines of it being the greatest film of our generation. Well...not really. But it's good.

"300" opens with the training of the main character, Leonidas, as a young Spartan boy. In his later years as king, he is given a proposition by a messenger from Xerxes to join the Persian Empire. The proposition is delivered friendly, but without revealing Xerxes’ true intentions. Leonidas declines with his sword and tries to persuade the elders to go to war. When denied, he takes a handful of soldiers (300) to hold off the Persians as long as they can. The result is one battle after another of blood, pain, hell and, of course, glory.

Though the film has been criticized for its acting, I don't see what's wrong with it. The lines are appropriate for the over-the-top nature of the film, especially for being based directly off a graphic novel. Meanwhile, Gerard Butler is becoming one hell of a character actor. The simple fact he went from The Phantom of the Opera to an aggressive Spartan King is just about as impressive as Johnny Depp's radical characters from movie to movie. Another very, very impressive role was David Wenham as Dilio. He narrated the whole movie with the voice of a classic, 1960s Greek/Roman epic. Seldom was I ever not intrigued by his presence-- Whether it was vocally or visually.

The main reason the film has been hailed is, of course, the effects and style. As odd as it sounds, it's a beautiful looking movie. The costumes are very impressive. All the Spartans wear overly long, crimson cloaks and bad-ass looking helmets. Completing the set is specifically designed swords, spears and abs that make you feel like your on steroids just by looking at them. Meanwhile, the Persians are displayed as disfigured, hideous creatures with wardrobes that look like a rich-man's Galactic Empire uniform from Star Wars. The contrast between who the antagonists and protagonists are is very clear. Meanwhile the surroundings, sky, boulders, blood-- Just about everything is CG rendered to give the entire movie a very surreal look of exaggeration. It works perfectly. The style all flows together to give us something not ever seen before on film. It's an impressively violent, aggressive and eye-appealing style that set the perfect tone for this movie. I have to hand it to director Zack Snyder. He knew how to get the atmosphere of this film down to a perfect tee. It's not an easy task. It might've come off as very cheesy and laughable had anyone else done it.

The story begs for the attention of a few values. One could find the story significant of today's events or our government. The idea of love followed by selflessness is introduced as a powerful virtue even before Dilio narrates the concept. Another is a more personal insight of true brotherhood and trust. Sadly, I'm afraid this movie will be used for many football metaphors in the locker rooms of high school and college football. It's ashame that the meaning of this movie will probably be degraded to something as irrelevant as that instead of going on to parallel something important.

As good as the movie is the hype killed some of it for me. Or perhaps it's the atrocious editing the movie does very little to hide. Maybe the messages could have been less obvious. I don't know. It's not the greatest movie ever nor of our generation, but it's a fun action movie with some good social messages and incredible cinematography. Lives won't be changed, but you might feel the need to pick a battle yourself and hurt someone once it's over.

***1/2 out of ****