Disappointing

Rating: 4/10 (15 April 2007)

A few weeks ago my younger brother (22) watched this movie, and told me it was the best movie...ever. So I expected a lot. I've seen it now, and I disagree with my brother. It certainly was visually stunning, 10 out of 10 for that part. However, a good movie needs more than that, and to me 300 just failed in almost every other aspect. It was all far too simplistic; too black and white, and lacked a descent storyline.
What I didn't like:
-The overly muscular and 'perfect' Spartans versus the ugly deformed faceless Persians and their monsters.
-The simplistic Good versus Evil thematics. It sometimes was like looking at some Bush-administration propaganda.
-The historical references; if you want to make a movie (comic) about a rather unknown historical battle, don't use monsters, hunchbacks and other fictional creatures. If you want to use those creatures, just create a fictional battle.
-The story itself. It was just a little introduction to a battle, and then the battle itself. To me, that might be enough for 30 minutes, but not nearly enough for 2 hours.
If the movie wasn't looking as good as it did I would've walked out. I was there with a few friends, and it was interesting to see that some really loved the movie, and others (one of them being a professional historian...) didn't like it that much, usually for the same reasons I didn't like it.
Conclusion: Over-rated, but visually stunning. Lacks dept. Ideal for 15 year old boys and people who like movies that just look pretty. Not recommended for people who want more than aesthetics.