A stunning videoclip and .......that's all!

Rating: 5/10 (21 November 2009)

Before getting on with 300, I must remind to those who don't know, that the story -or even the scenario- was taken from the comic novel of Frank Miller (also the creator of Sin City), bearing the same name. Though being a great fan of him, I must admit that it is far from being one of his best works. The saddening thing is that he is also the executive producer in this feature.
The film has awesome visuality. Every single frame has photographic value and are well composed. One is awed by the beauty of each scene. The battle choreography is well planned and very vivid too. No need to say that the story is quiet exciting.
The thing I mainly disliked was the inevitable feeling of artificiality. The environment, buildings, sky, people...you can't help but be irritated by your own awareness that too much CGI or Photoshop was involved. Thus, you cannot really surrender yourself to the film and savour it. While watching my mind kept thinking if this was a deliberate method of Director Zack Snyder, creating a set decor-like environment and obtaining a theatrical splendour. But there wasn't any depth in the story or the directing to meet and justify this artificiality aura. It felt rather like a regular blockbuster ordered to a former director of photography. Director Zack Snyder has a superb taste for photographs indeed and I am afraid that is the reason why he overdid it, leaving any concern of making this a movie, rather than a very long videoclip of antique heroes fresh out of gym.
A sad thing that it is turning from "trend" to "accepted mainstream" to make films abundant with CGI or new visual technics and leaving the acting, the story, the "meaning" aside. 300 is another example. (On the other hand, thumbs-up for same director's "Watchmen") One other thing: How can we accept an invader eastern king to be portrayed as a pervert, psychotic, coward, mass murderer freak while it is generally just the other way around with an invader western king. In this sense I recommend "Alexander" by Oliver Stone to everyone who loves movies about heroes and invaders.