Thousands of years ago, the Persian Empire threatened to trample over ancient Greece in a series of historic battles. The first such battle was Thermopylae; it was an incredible fight in which a small band of Spartan warriors held off a massive wave of Persian invaders for three days. Ancient accounts describe a barrage of arrows that literally blocked out the sun. Through the use of brilliant strategy, superior armor and weapons, and better training, the three hundred Spartans put up a heck of a fight against insurmountable odds. This battle was popularized throughout the ages; more recent tellings of the story include the 1962 film The 300 Spartans (which I found to be rather lame), and Frank Miller's graphic novel 300, which was influenced by that film.
The film 300 follows the graphic novel very closely, with additional embellishments to the story. In spite of that, the film presents a highly mythologized and exaggerated take on the Battle of Thermopylae; it's a fantastic, epic, and incredible spectacle to watch the brutal Spartans take on endless waves of Persian troops (including the Immortals, shown on screen as being literally monstrous). Barrages of arrows literally block out the sun. Strange creatures, including an orc-like giant, elephants, and a rhinoceros, charge into battle. Blood flies freely across the screen frequently; with a dark and brooding tone, the film overall is one of the most hard-edged and wickedest epics committed to film. It won't appeal to everybody, especially with the film's penchant for frequent slow-motion and CGI backgrounds, but at its time it was considered one of the awesomest and most macho films ever made.
Since this film is based on a graphic novel, it does take liberties with the historic facts. Obviously, the Spartans never fought without wearing armor; there never was a rhino in battle; Ephialtes was never a hunchback; the Immortals were actual men, not monsters; and so on. However, the film does get a few details surprisingly right; the events actually happened, the tactics appear mostly-sound, and the portrayal of Spartan upbringing is correct. The blending of historic fact with myth may not sit well with history buffs, but it makes for fantastic storytelling.
The story itself is well-structured, purposefully outlining the background of the battle and showing the assembly of the armies before breaking out in bloody mayhem. Characters aren't particularly likable (King Leonidas borders on being psychotic at times), but they are as badass as they come.
This film is overloaded with style, using slow-motion and animations in nearly every scene. With the film's framing and editing, however, it really does look like a graphic novel brought to life, and it's really cool that way. Acting is really extreme, almost to a ridiculous degree; Gerard Butler screams and scowls in every scene, but given the hardcore nature of his character and the material overall, he really nails the role. Everybody else fulfills their roles well. Writing is generally good; a lot of it matches up with Frank Miller's book, which in turn reflects some of the historical accounts. The use of narration is especially noteworthy, for it reinforces the film as fantastic storytelling. Tyler Bates' music score is really cool too.
Despite its liberties with the historic events, the 300 film remains the most thrilling, most awe-inspiring, and most uncompromising account of the Battle of Thermopylae. The whole film comes off as a wicked and badass experience; I personally wish more historic and fantasy films were made this way. If you can stomach the bloodshed and the excesses, this film comes recommended.
5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)
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