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300
Wednesday, April 11th, 2007
This has to be the best action movie of the year. Hands down.
There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, the cinematography is unique and the sepia-toned Ancient World symbolizes the connectivity of man and his beliefs of the cosmos - the Gods, Nature, the forces of passion and warfare, etc. Whoever came up with the idea needs to get an Oscar for that. Or whichever award it is.
Second, the historical accuracy is above the average Hollywood rehashing we usually get. Sure, the story was slightly altered for cinematic reasons, but the essence of the real life story is in your face. These were not desperate men, but men who believed in their laws, who lived in a warrior society and thus had stark, uncompromising views of the world. They were men who chose to meet their end, who chose their battle ground, who chose to die - not in a hopeless last stand, but as a symbol for a budding world of reason and law, trapped then by the greed and politics of the Ancient World, bound in Mysticism.
It was a symbol of freedom from the tyranny of the Old Ways. It was a sacrifice they chose to make, and the final orders of King Leonidas were utterly blunt; remember us. Against the might of a thousand nations, the famed Immortals of Xerxes, and all manner of beasts and gladiators, the 300 Spartans held the Hot Gates against all odds.
Bringing the Spartans to life was no mean feat, and very impressively handled. The Phalanx works as a single unit, and we now get a true glimpse of Ancient warfare through the rigorous training of the actors. Ancient techniques show their worth in this film, and the word ‘choreography’ does little justice to what these boys pulled off.
Now, there are a few flaws, to keep this balanced. David Whenam is a great actor, but his voice and the voices of others, at times, seems to slip out of place now and again. So too do certain scenes involving what were intended to be motivational speeches. Yet, if I were to pick at the things left out - such as the Spartan food supply consisting of a single apple - I would be at it all day, and would of course miss the point of the film.
I went to see it with my partner, my best friend and his partner. Obviously, the film needed no further explanation to myself or my best friend. Our partners, however, and quite typically, saw the film as ’simple and blokey.’ I despair that this is the default assumption of females everywhere. They ultimately stuck around for ‘the bodies of the men - they’re ripped!’ Indeed they are, and this reflects the dedication of the actors to represent their warrior ancestors. But more than this, the humour of camaraderie that runs between the men speaks simply but deeply of their beliefs and convictions. In one instance, Kind Leonidas asks David Whenam’s character “I hope that scratch isn’t going to hamper your fighting ability” to which the soldier responds, “No sire, it’s just an eye; the Gods saw fit to bless me with a spare.”
So, to clarify: this isn’t a blokey film. This isn’t action for the sake of action. This is a historical recreation of a real event, and the beliefs that fueled these events. It doesn’t draw straight lines between good and evil, for the Spartans were harsh bastards, and the Persians were not all cruel, culture-less dogs. The point of defending freedom is a favourite in American cinema, but this story reminds us that the notion of freedom and equality itself began in the Ancient World, 500 years before Christ. It shows how real beliefs were, and how deeply they motivated our species. In the simplicity of it, there is much depth to be found.
For blokes who didn’t like it, head downtown.
Please note individual items are the those of the autor, not Pith Records. Don't blame us.
This entry hereby entered into our archives by lansirlot at the hour of 2:05 pm
on this very Wednesday, April 11th, our year of 2007.
Duly filed under Literary Reviews, in accordance with standard practices.
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