300 – a Review

A war – 300 men versus a million. No hoper, right?

But then, that would be under normal circumstances, in a normal movie. And in this movie isn’t by any stretch of imagination, normal. Cliched at times, maybe. Biased, yes. Political, yes. But in the end, good entertainment.

This is a movie where the Victor goes back home to lick his wounds – and quite thankful that he didn’t have to take more mauling.

That, is just one aspect to it. There are others – by which I do not refer to somewhat graphic references to sex (without the actual act being shown). There’s, for example the computer generated imagery, where at one point I wondered if I was actually playing Age of Empires, on the big screen. It was real, yet unreal.

The movie tries to cover many bases but for the most part delivers on two facets – sound & visual effects and well crafted fight sequences.

There’s a cursory homage paid to storytelling – and, a now usual homage to the concept of “freedom”. Our hero is apparently fighting for freedom. Immense glorification of the Spartans is one of the main themes – along with vilification of the Persians. It seems to be in the 9/11 mould – “You’re either with us or against us!”

The Spartan king is an idealist, stands for freedom, but yet pays homage to corrupt, almost paedophilic priests – and, as per the movie, “more creature and less man”. A reference to the way of the present day Church, perhaps? or Maybe not. The King shocks and awes his way into the Persian camp, with Xerxes being shown as gay (and hence the worse for it).

If George Bush Jr. were to make a movie, this should fit in well with his constituency. And his politics – except for perhaps the dig at the priestdom.

Without the politics, its mostly raw- and appealing – action. With it, is a sad, bad gimmick. The movie is a mish-mash of many things good, but doesnt make a fist of it.

Ignore the politics to enjoy the movie!