Review of 300 (2007) by Braydan H — 11 May 2015

I have always been fascinated by the ancient tales and myths of the Greek culture. They were talented, sophisticated story-tellers, who knew how to use humor, drama, moral lessons, and irony to craft interesting stories. Among these is the Battle of Thermopylae, which is not a myth, but a true story of the Persian invasion of Greece, and how 300 Spartans fought off a significant portion of the Persian army before ultimately dying. This is the basis of "300".

Unfortunately, "300" takes very few cues from the actual story. "300" is a complete reimagining of the Battle of Thermopylae. These are not the historical Spartans. Director Zack Snyder is so concerned with making the Spartans out to be bad asses that he completely mischaracterizes the Greeks, turning them into arrogant, muscle-bound warriors. Likewise, the depiction of the Persians is not accurate. The Greeks described the Persians as barbaric heathens, and the film's idea of a barbarian is kind of racist. Additionally, there are many supernatural elements, transforming this Greek legend into a gritty, B-action movie.

But I suppose that is all a part of Zack Snyder's style. Also part of Snyder's style are the excessive use of slow motion, over-the-top action, and lots of violence and gore. While all of these do nothing to help the film, Snyder's unique use of lighting and visuals is one the redeeming qualities of this film. This is a very cool-looking and visually pleasing film, if nothing else.

As I said before, the Greeks were talented story-tellers. Zack Snyder, on the other hand, is a so-so story-teller. Though most of the film is slow-mo action and shirtless hunks, the impressive visuals, a passable performance by Gerard Butler, and a decent amount of good drama make "300" an alright watch.