Thursday, March 22, 2007
300
First, let me say I like this movie a lot. But then again, I've also owned a copy of the 1962 version, 300 Spartans, for a couple of years now so obviously I'm prejudiced. Be that as it may, 300 does have a plot and it does have acting. The movie grabbed me early and didn't let me go until it finished. It was the quickest two hours I've spent in quite some time.
As to many of the complaints I've been hearing. Yes, it's a bit over-the-top and graphic. Seeing how it was based on a comic book (which I haven't read yet), I would have been disappointed if it was anything but. I felt it was very well crafted. The early scene where the horses jumped the hill was amazing - a brief couple of seconds that still stick in my mind. I loved the scene where King Leonidas was calmly eating an apple saying, "there's no reason why we can't be civilized about this (quoted more or less)," while standing knee deep in wounded Persians his men were finishing off. There were many scenes like this that lasted for seconds yet held more information and detail than anyone could hope to grasp the first time around. I'm looking forward to a second watching.
Yes, the Persians came off as less than an idealized civilization. First, see my comic book comment, and second, who cares, you always need over-the-top bad guys. As to historical inaccuracies, first - yeah, comic book, and second, it was 2500 years ago!! However, I'll be among the first to admit there were many. Like the King bad-mouthing the boy-loving Athenians while in fact, the Sparta military were the ones to take fellowship-in-arms to a whole different level. You know? I really don't care. It was a fun movie and hell, we can't even figure out how Anna Nicole Smith (good link fodder) died and that was only last month.
People have to stop taking movies and books so seriously. First, it's entertainment and it's fiction based on an historical event. I just don't understand why people have forgotten what fiction is. If the product is selling itself as a true story, then it can be held to higher standards - as if you can prove those standards after 2500 years. How can you expect factual perfection for something that's based on a comic book that was suggested by a 2500 year-old story that was written by the victors?
Labels: movies
