Hollywood has long been in love with Frank Miller's graphic novels, from RoboCop to Sin City. His 300 takes us back more than two thousand years to the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. In truth, this is more of a fantasy than a historical drama.
As the narrator begins the story, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), like all the kings before him, has been bred and raised as a soldier, the best of the best to represent the military state of Sparta. He and his queen, Gorgo (Lena Headey) enjoy the beauty and the peace of their land with their son until the Persian king, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) rages a war against Sparta and all of Greece.
Leonidas wants to lead his troops to fight off the invaders, but according to Spartan laws, he must obtain the blessing from the Ephors. Little does he know, politician Theron (Dominic West) has corrupted them. Not to be discouraged, Leonidas recruits 300 of his finest warriors - each have at least a son to replace them - on a suicide mission to hold off the Persian army while Gorgo tries to persuade the council to send a pan-Greek army to their aid.
Leonidas' 300 Spartans clearly are outnumbered by Xerxes' 100,000-strong army. But they find a way to fend off the Persians for as long as they can, by guarding the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Xerxes gives Leonidas ten days to surrender, or he threatens to slaughter the Spartans. The 300 Spartans are joined by about 700 Thespians and slave soldiers, and they fight bravely, killing thousands of Persian soldiers, and holding the pass for three days. Unfortunately, a local shepherd, Ephialtes (Tierman), betrays Leonidas by showing Xerxes an alternate path around Thermopylae. The Spartans fight till their last breaths and their sacrifices inspire the rest of Greece to band together to later defeat the Persians.
Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera) has transformed himself physically and mentally to play the fearless King Leonidas. His presence dominates the film, and his characterization is larger than life. Yet he shows great tenderness toward his queen and son. Butler shows a good range without relying on a pedestrian portrayal of a warrior hero. As Queen Gorgo, Lena Headey (Imagine Me & You) is a worthy counterpart to Butler. They share wonderful chemistry, and it's gratifying to see a strong female character in a male-dominated story.
Article comments
1 - gan
Everyone seems to be surprised by how well this movie is doing, and yet the reason is so clear:
'300' is about achieving glory and victory in war no matter how impossible the odds, and despite what an obvious assessment of the facts would suggest. In short, it is a fantasy that we Americans are desperately yearning for at this particular moment, as one very real fact has become unavoidably clear and final: the war in Iraq has been totally, and unconditionally lost. And yet, the atmosphere of denial is so thick in this country, you would need a battle axe to cut through it. The American National Ego, a collective identity formed around a self image of unquestioned superiority over all other nations and peoples, has been eviscerated in Iraq, torn to pieces by a smaller, underequipped, yet strategically superior guerilla force. (Ironically, the smaller Iraqi surgents share more in common with the Spartans than the US). Unable to grapple with this fact, and by doing so re-direct our foreign policy based upon a sober, if painful asessment of the facts, we instead, escape into our fantasies.
An ostrich may bury it's head in the sand, but US consumers simply go to the movies.
2 - James
Dude, it's just a movie
3 - Phillip Winn
Plus, there are at least two sides to any view of the film. For example, here are Victor Davis Hanson and Ephraim Lytle, holding opposite views on the history behind the movie.
4 - mzafrica
I would like to know the name of the guy that played the persian messenger. I think he is so handsome. Could someone please tell me his name. thanks
5 - Ray
Peter Mensah played the messenger.