Review of 300: Rise of an Empire (2014) by Quincytheodore — 09 Mar 2014

It lacks the unworldly mythologies of the first title, but its spectacular animation will still be entertaining enough. 300: Rise of an Empire is the prequel, event in between and also sequel of 300, this might be overreaching as it cumbersomely tries to tell wider scale background of the war. There are more characters, each with their own tale and the change into naval battle is a welcomed one, not to mention clever ways to divulge more effects, however they can't replace the charm of mystical charisma from the predecessor.

Story revolves mainly on Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) and his ambivalence struggle against slightly insane Persian general, Artemisia (Eva Green). Stapleton is not exactly inadequate on the leader role. He showcases a decent performance as the weight of war slowly burdens him, but the brash hawkish lead from Gerard Butler is sorely missed. The movie utilizes almost the same merry band of warriors as 300, despite acknowledging the less superhuman original profession. They might be too similar, especially physique-wise, it feels like a shallow reenactment than legitimate replacement, and it's not about the blue cape instead of red.

Eva Green is absurdly filled with anguish, almost excessively. It's very passionately awkward, but admittedly effective nonetheless as she oozes strength at times. King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) gets an exposition of his metamorphosis past, a "before" and "after" look as herbal steroid, magic spell and CG alter his appearance to that of a giant. This retains some of the magical vibe from previous title, although only a mere fragment of it.

He does not possess the same on-screen threat as he did, currently he's not even the same level as his madly obsessive lady general. Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) serves as narrator, she partakes in only a handful of scenes as the focus shifts away from Sparta. Her voice has weight, although not as poignant as Dilios (David Wenham) in the first movie, who is now relegated into a flimsy support role.

The trademark fight scenes are splendid, stylishly choreographed with elegant brute force. Maritime warfare presents more effects added into bloody skirmish, be it may water or fire, they are visually delightful. It moves very aggressively, slowing at just the right critical moments. In a sense, it almost resembles a game; I wouldn't be surprise if it has health meter and death count display. This mix of battle macabre and CGI stand tall in the peak of action genre, audience will most likely find no disappointment in this regard.

Unfortunately, screenplays aren't constructed concisely enough; they don’t continue momentum from plot to action smoothly, making some occasions feel dry. It offers some degree of political and social aspect, but not carrying the depth needed to stimulate the audience. While the spectacle is undeniably impressive, 300: Rise of an Empire is just a glorified war movie.