Few movies make me munch popcorn like a madman and then have me thinking long and hard after the credits have rolled. Few films indeed. Oddly enough, 300 was one of these films. Not because I'm caught between a debate of whether or not it's okay to fight for survival. Nope, that's an issue I've no qualms against. My issue with 300 was its rather propaganda heavy efforts amidst the amazingly and beautifully well-done action scenes. And since I saw it in IMAX mode, I was a bit amazed by human-sized pectorals.
Anyways, what we have here is the mythologized story of King Leonidas in his quest to defy to oracles in a last ditch defense against the approaching Persian masses. I say masses because the numbers aren't worth attempting to quantify; the point is, Xerxes has a lot of soldiers...and our man Leo has about 300. Any idea where the name of the movie came from?
As Leonidas battles at the front, Queen Gorgo fights a political battle to lobby in favor of the Greek army sending reinforcements in order to sustain the country's democracy. Naturally, she doesn't find any real progress with the senate until it's far too late, but hey, she tried. Look if you want plot, this isn't the movie for you. Imagine all the battle scenes of Lord of the Rings without the drama-filler (walking) that made it stretch on for three hours at a time. Wait...that doesn't sound so bad. Sadly, we have much of the same battle-oriented jokes as LotR: two men competing for kill count. It was funny between a dwarf and an elf, but between two 30 year-old males in leather banana hammocks...I was less than amused.
What can I say, 300 isn't about the acting - that's not why you're gonna see it and it's not why you're gonna rent it or buy it. You'll see this film because the battle scenes are a tremendous success in terms of the film's entirely studio-based green screen filming. You'll see this film because you want a not-so historical depiction of what happened during that fateful battle. When it gets down to the nit and the grit 300 delivers in glorious battles and keeps you entertained for the 117 minutes of war.
I mentioned the banana hammocks, and yet I feel the revealing nature of 300 deserves more emphasis. The film becomes a deafening cacophony of sex and battles. Queen Gorgo tries to sleep her way to the top of the political world, and for what? What does the audience care if the considerably minor character Queen Gorgo gets it on with another Greek diplomat? Sure, she's hot by all standards...but it just becomes a skin flick during the time she's even on screen. I'm all for bits of sex being thrown into a movie, but I want it to fit somewhere...in 300...it didn't.
One major factor 300 has going for it is the use of relatively unknown actors and actresses. For this, I applaud 300. The action doesn't orient around how much we think the actor playing the elf is dreamy...even with pointed ears. While there are plenty of oiled down bodies for the lady crowd to ogle at, the actor's aren't distracted with their own fame and consequently deliver rather good performances. But then again, it's a war piece. Screaming as you run into battle doesn't require much talent.
Gerard Butler as King Leonidas was a great choice. Even if his more inspirational lines are ripped directly from the speeches of President George W. Bush, the delivery is at least moving. I really did gag every time American ‘buzzwords' were used. Beyond being given lines of shite to sift through, Butler performed well giving us the leadership such a position demands as well as the rugged charm the every action movie needs. I hope to see more of Butler, but I wouldn't complain if his acting received some polish.
David Wenham plays a significant supporting role as Dilios and he does it with such panache. I enjoyed Wenham's performance above all others as it was filled with a greater darkness than those of his leather-clad counterparts. His narration is equally bold and cast the perfect feel for the film's beginning.
Rodrigo Santoro played a very effeminate Xerxes, so much so that I felt offended for the ancient Persians. In such a patriarchal culture, 300 tries to tell us that a man that spoke as he does in the film ruled over the Persian Empire as a god. I'm sure as we cheer for the Spartans we're supposed to laugh at how Xerxes talks, but I sat there horribly annoyed at the unfair portrayal. We have no idea how he talked, true. But to cast him as effeminate in the current times with no regard for historical representation is infuriating. For this I condemn Zack Snyder. Horribly shortsighted decision on his part.
While I enjoyed the film flaws and all, I don't know how I really feel about it. Cinematically it's beautiful, but historically it's a travesty. I understand art is allowed to portray reality in ways that make it more expressive, but Director Zack Snyder abused this concept to manipulate the audience's perception of each side's merit as a government. So yes, see this beautifully done film and enjoy it in all its graphical wonder, but take note, that what you see on screen and what reality truly is aren't one and the same. Remember that this ISN'T history, this is a fictional retelling. With that, I bid you adieu.
"300" opens March 9, 2007 and is rated R. Action, War. Directed by Zack Snyder. Written by Frank Miller & Lynn Varley (graphic novel), Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael Gordon. Starring David Wenham, Dominic West, Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Regan.
