Review of 300: Rise of an Empire (2014) by Fabio R — 12 Feb 2018

There are many who seem not to like for stylish spectacle for its own sake, so those of us who found much to enjoy in 300:Rise of an Empire should let them have their smug tantrums about how much they were offended and cursed by the experience of having to view this film.

For myself, I rather enjoy films of extreme style wedded with mastery of technique. Forgetting the storyline, which is what you'd expect, an alternative universe history based on vaguely recognizable facts , we can relish the cool , dark, damp and half toned world this is, the wonderfully composed computer effects, the supremely fluid camera work and the switching back and forth between slow motion and real time speed.

Improbable, absurd, fantastic beyond belief, yes, but that is the point. Zack Snyder's original 300 movie is a masterpiece of elegant, near homoerotic verve and grace under bloody orchestrations of dance-caliber combat, and 300:ROAE's helmer Noam Murro takes up the previous director's graphic-novel dynamics splendidly.

Eva Green as the Big Bad is sufficiently realized and larger than life, a presence that occupies each frame fully and overwhelmingly.Highest recommendation for those hankering for some artful hack and slash, with speeches.