This is the problem with the "younger generation", Sandus. To them, lots of CGI and gore = good plot. I've noticed that the older you get, the more you expect from a film, especially one based on history.
The problem there lies in that the movie is based on a Graphic Novel (300 by Frank Miller) which is based on a movie (The 300 Spartans (1962)) which is based on the Battle of Thermopylae.
I'm aware of all of that, read the graphic novel and am pretty familiar with the Battle of Thermopylae. That doesn't excuse plot and character development being missing. They managed to pull Miller's "Sin City" togther, so why is everyone PaMing about the lack of it here?
I just like being entertained. I want to go into a movie and shut my brain off and not have to worry about if it's too much CGI or if the plot is non existent or if Xerxes has too much eyeliner and if the fighting was too unrealistic. Just turn brain off and have fun. : / I loved the part in teh fighting sequence when the techno busted out. Maybe part of me liking the movie so much is that I had a massive attack of diarrhea for the 30 min of dead time before all the fighting started, and it was the worst diarrhea attack ever, wrought by Thai food + sushi, so then the movie in comparison was like a billion times more fun than ****ing **** and green dookie.
If that's the light you need to put this film in to see it postively I'm kind of glad I haven't spent money on a ticket.
You got that right!!! You know, I read this, clicked on the button to respond and saw the Serenity/Firefly quote in your sig. That right there is the difference in my mind between a good action movie with great effects/CGI (300) and a GREAT action movie with good effects/CGI. Firefly was a good TV series that deserved better than it got, but Serenity was an awesome movie with superb writing, great characters, and a good story.
I was mourning the loss of Firefly and Serenity for a long time Jayne was my favourite character. 1000 kinds of awesome.
Only one thing was missing from "Serenity/Firefly" and that was scenes of "300" intercut with spaceships and River going ape.
I turned Serenity off after half an hour. Just seemed like a naff TV programme with a slightly larger budget.
Not wanting to derail where the thread seems to have wandered off to....but the History Channel has been running a pretty good two hour show about Thermopylae this month. It also focuses on the role of Themistocles and the Athenian navy in holding off the Persian fleet while Leonidas and the Spartans battled the Persian army. Definitely worth watching.
So, finally got around to seeing it. Good action sequences, although the slo-mo was a bit annoying. Nice cinematography, great art and art direction, but little acting or plot to comment on. This just ended up being good, it could have been great with a better plot. It's in the category of Troy and Alexander, just another modern sword-and-sandal flick. I certainly didn't mind all the beefcake, though
Just got back from seeing it now. I found it to be a cross between 'Braveheart' and 'Mens Health And Fitness Magazine'. Enjoyable though
I really enjoyed it. It was well shot, well lit and gave a great "feel". The action was great, and gave a good sense of the visceral intensity of sword and shield combat. As for the historical accuracy, OK, let's just put the Rhino to one side a minute, what do you want? 300 Spartans and twice that number of other Greeks held a pass against vastly superior Persian numbers until a Greek betrayed a pass which allowed the Persians to outflank them. The prolonged resistance of the Spartans destroyed the image of the "invincible" Persian empire and served as a rallying cry for the mobilisation of Greece. These are the historical facts of the battle, and they are all there. Did they unleash Rhinos? Probably not, but it made for good viewing. As for plot, it's a film about a battle. The battle IS the plot. If they'd made a film about the Greco-Persian conflict as a whole, then there may have been a place and a need for more plot, but it's a fairly narrow view.
if I didn't know any better... I'd say this Chimp is trying to push my buttons. If you think it's 'the only movie to watch this year' then I'd say you need to get out more.