300 (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing 300
, a retelling of the 480 BC battle at Thermopylae. This particular movie is based on the graphic novel written by Frank Miller.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I loved it. This movie doesn't look like anything you've seen before. I spent so much time with my mouth hanging open, I was probably drooling. Aside from that, it is a very compelling story told well.
What about you?
Scott: I liked it as well. I wasn't sure what I was going to get out of since it was based on a graphic novel, but it delivered the goods.
Mike: Based on a graphic novel doesn't mean substandard or bad. The Road to Perdition and A History of Violence were based on graphic novels.
I was actually familiar with the story, because of Frank Miller's 300 comics. I hadn't read the comics in years, so I looked at a copy of the 300 at Barnes and Noble and many of the images and quite a bit of the dialogue were right out of the book.
Scott: They are making movies out of everything now-a-days. I even heard they are going to make a caveman movie based on the Geico cavemen. Unlike that, this was a good idea.
Mike: I'll watch that after I see Taco Bell Dog: The Motion Picture...
Scott: I am a huge fan of this story. I have read historic accounts of the event as well as caught a few TV shows on it. One of my favorite books, Gates of Fire, is historical fiction based on this battle.
The movie was visually stunning and it almost seemed a comic brought to life.
Mike: Much like Sin City, also by Frank Miller. This movie is probably a bit more mainstream than that, though.
Scott: I wasn't a fan of the look of that movie. This is more like Version 2.0 of that different look.
Mike: I was a big fan of the look of Sin City because it brought those particular comics to life, but Miller is a master of many styles.
Scott: This look is different, more of a bronze gloss over everything with some super slow mo dropped in for effect
Mike: This movie brings the style of this graphic novel to life. The whole film looks as if it’s being shown through a filter and there is an interesting use of color. There are a number of neat slow motion Matrix effects. They actually help you see what is going on during many of the fight scenes.
Of course, there is a ton of blood, but once again, stylized and certainly not gorier than many recent war movies. And when it comes down to it, this is a war movie.
Scott: That's a good point; you can see fighting in fight scenes, a departure from every other movie that's come out in the last few years.
Mike: There is an introduction to the Spartans and their way of life and there are some scenes back in Sparta, but the bulk of the movie is the battle of the Spartans (and Thespians) against the hundreds of thousands of Persians.
Scott: The movie battle was bloody, but nowhere near as bad as the original event was. This is one of those events in history where they can't make it as bad as it really was, because no one would want to see it. The Spartans of that era were the most feared warriors in the known world. Nations feared them with good reason. All these people did was fight and make war, and they were really good at it.
Mike: Gerard Butler does a great job as King Leonidas. He plays the role as a fierce warrior with humor and a human side. He is not a superhero, but a superbly trained warrior, who would do anything for his country and his people.
Scott: He is well trained to lead men in battles, and he leads from the front.
Mike: By the way, all the Spartans in this movie are in ridiculously good shape. They don't have six packs, but more like twelve or twenty four packs.
Scott: I told my wife that women are going to love the guys’ abs.
Mike: Another standout is Lena Headey as King Leonidas' wife, Queen Gorgo.
Scott: She is a very strong willed woman, who loves her country and is willing to sacrifice to see it survive.
Mike: Not bad looking either.
Scott: This movie isn't a true historic account of what happened, but it’s close enough to be a good movie. Some things are glazed over, or not even brought up. If you want to learn more about the full story, I would check out the books that are bound to come out with the release of this movie.
Mike: There are a couple mutant creatures peppered throughout the story that smack more of comic book than historical epic, but I'll let it slide.
Scott: None of the fantasy characters are so outlandish as to ruin the story. Some of the creatures to appear are quite natural, but to the Spartans would seem like exotic, even mystical, beasts.
Mike: There are a number of the soldiers who look familiar, but many of the characters sort of run together. Also, good luck remembering their names.
Did you notice that Xerxes, the ruler of the Persians is actually someone we have seen before?
Scott: No, aside from being really tall, I didn't notice anything about him
Do we know him?
Mike: As a matter of fact, I only recognized him by his name. Rodrigo Santoro is a Brazilian actor who is now a regular on one of our favorite shows, Lost.
In this movie he looks nothing like he does on Lost. His head is shaved and he has on so much makeup and jewelry that it would be hard to recognize him.
Scott: Someone I did recognize, but didn't know from where, was Dominic West who played Theron. Believe it or not, but I remember him from a small part in Star Wars: Episode 1, which has been playing like crazy on HBO lately.
Mike: I like to affectionately refer to him as Goat Boy. Is he creepy looking or what?
Scott: He does look creepy; I guess all politicians look that way.
David Wenham is the narrator Dilios who tells the story of the 300. He was also in Van Helsing, and the two latter Lord of the Rings movies
Mike: It looks like director Zack Snyder's only other claim to fame is the remake of Dawn of the Dead. He definitely shows that he can handle special effects without letting them completely overwhelm the movie.
Scott: I actually got a kick out of Dawn of the Dead. It wasn't that it was a fresh take on the whole Zombie genre, but it was a more updated version.
Mike: I enjoyed it as well. You gotta love a zombie movie that stars Ving Rhames.
I notice that he is in preproduction on The Watchmen, another graphic novel that was a hallmark in the world of comics. The question is if it will really happen. Many directors have worked on this and given up, including Terry Gilliam. I wonder if they will be able to make it without it being 5 hours long.
Mike: So what do you rate this?
Scott: I give this a 3.5 overall and a 4 for historical fiction movie. I liked it and I think others will too. The battle scenes are what make this movie. If you like sword fights and brave soldiers, then you will love this movie.
If nothing else, it should be the basis for some type of abs diet.
Mike: I give this a 4 overall and a 4 for historical action movie.
People are going to love it for both the amazing historical event it is based on, the amazing look of the film or the amazing kick butt action scenes.
Scott: The real story is incredible, and worth looking into.
Mike: Don't wait 300 days or even 300 minutes to see this movie.
