300 (2006) Review

300 (2006)

Set in 480 BC, 300 follows King Leonidas, who, in the face of war against the mighty Persians, leads 300 Spartan warriors at the Battle of Thermopylae, with their sacrifice inspiring all of Greece to unite against their common enemy. 

In his first foray into comic book films, Zack Snyder tackles the heavily fantasized graphic novel from Frank Miller, clashing the real story of the 300’s last stand at Thermopylae with some very obvious artistic deviations in order to craft an intense and wildly entertaining film of love, brotherhood, and glory. At it’s core, he wanted the essence of the Spartans to shine through—a handful of soldiers willing to risk it all for a larger concept of freedom and liberty, for only what they would deem “a beautiful death”. 

Glaring historical inaccuracies aside, which again, it isn’t exactly based on history, 300 rather captures the tone and feel of the Battle of Thermopylae quite well, not wasting any time throwing us into the action, while beautifully crafting a story of sacrifice and honor within the seven grueling days of battle. The action is intense and almost poetic in its brutal fluidity, giving us some Oldboy-esque dolly shots that look ripped right off of a renaissance painting, while filling in any lulls in the action with the futile race against time efforts to rally more men from Sparta.

We get an incredible cast, starring Andrew Pleavin, Andrew Tiernan, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro, Michael Fassbender, Lena Headey, David Wenham, and Gerard Butler. While we get some downright awesome performances out of Headey, Fassbender, and Wenham, let’s be real, this is all Gerard Butler. His Leonidas commands such a power and respect on screen, that when he isn’t teaching, he is leading his men with dignity and force, and boy if I would follow him into the jaws of death against 100,000 Persians. 

Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300, directed by Zack Snyder, is brutal, heroic, and above all else, completely faithful to Miller’s work, with each line, blow, and scene carrying so much weight, in what is one of the most influential movies of the 2000s. 

8.7/10