Review of 300 (2007) by Mike R — 01 Jul 2014

Many movies try to catch our attention with either performance, visual effects, or even historical significance. Either way they do it, it is up to the viewer to decide if their attempt to do so was indeed effective. There are many movies I am a fan of and have grown to love over the years. But one movie I saw a few years ago brought a smile to my face that no movie has given me for a while. 300 is a perfect example of everything done right. It combines a fantastic group of actors, good special effects, and a great story into one film.

When I first saw this movie, I was immediately gripped with the performance of each actor. The voices, the language, the look of each and every one seemed to go perfectly with the time the movie was set in. If their goal was to wow us with the beauty this film has to offer, they certainly achieved it. I feel like I can take any scene from the film and use it as a wallpaper. I just can't put enough emphasis on how fantastic this movie looks; from the look of the golden grain fields of Sparta, to the dark gold skies that hover over, to the fantastic display of power in each fight scene. Although, that doesn't mean they lacked on the sound department. The music in this film goes perfectly with the movie and the story. I have to admit, the music was only a second thought when first watching this in theaters. I was too focused on the story and scenes to really appreciate it. But after seeing this movie for what I truly believe has been nearly a hundred times, I can say that the music is in its own way just as powerful as any other aspect of this movie.

Now the special effects... ok I understand that upon close inspection one can tell just how artificial they look. It easy to understand why some people have complained about that, but does it really matter? When you go watch a really good play, do you complain at how fake the backdrop looks? I my opinion, the special effects did exactly what they had to do: set the tone of the movie. Upon seeing the thousands of Persian warriors rushing towards Leonidas and the rest of the 300 Spartans, I cannot help but admire the scene behind the battle each time I watch it. The dark, yet golden clouds in the sky in contrast to the sparkling shields and blood red capes of the Spartans again, looks fantastic. But the contrasting color also really captures the essence of the story itself: the battle between good and evil, light fighting darkness. That is essentially the central theme of the film. The Spartans, or in fact all of Greece, fighting against the evil king Xerxes and his endless army seems like a hopeless cause throughout the film. This is further supported by the colors; the light in the sky fighting to break though the dark clouds, and the glistening of the Spartan shields clashing against the all black armored Persian soldiers.

Now what really makes this movie for me is the story. The whole movies is told, or narrated, by Dilios, one of the 300 himself. He tells the story of the brave 300 Spartans and of Leonidas, and does a fantastic job in my opinion. He tells the story as I would imagine someone from the time would tell it. It really gets you engaged in the plot. The story of 300, as I said before, is a story of good vs. evil from what I can tell. Sure it isn't exactly historically accurate, but I don't really care, it's just a great story. It is a fantastic display of character, will, brotherhood, and sacrifice paying off in the end. One character truly makes this stand out for me: king Leonidas. Throughout the whole film, he is not only fighting against the Persian force, but also against his own country. His will to fight and protect his people is rivaled only by his respect for his soldiers. The only ones who have his back other than his wife are his soldiers; the 300. They truly embody what brotherhood should be. They are with each other till the very end.

So as you can tell, I really like this movie. It's so artistic, yet has the brutality you would want to see in an action movie. The story is something else. From beginning to end, it's just so well done. I recommend anyone looking to be entertained by a great story and performance to watch this asap!