If you have a penchant for gory films, an enjoyable way to spend two hours.

Rating: 8/10 (11 March 2007)

I have to say, had I not seen this movie opening night in a jam-packed theater while sitting next to a group of Spartan-armor-clad-fanboys, I would have probably witnessed something that did not live up to the hype. However, for that night and that audience, it completely did, and really... isn't that the point? When an audience cheers after every decapitation, catcalls during every soft core sex scene, and lets out a collective "OH!" when a faceless Persian gets skewered in his nether regions, you're going to have a good time.
And all of that is due to the fact that the movie lived up to its promise: deliver two hours of highly stylized and obscenely bloody battle scenes with the occasional bit of humanity and humor.
In my opinion, Gerard Butler's acting carried the majority of the film. Even when facing the unintentionally comical Xerxes, he brightens the screen with his witty delivery and fierce passion. A far cry from the past movies I've witnessed him in, but still unquestionably talented.
Less responsible for my enjoyment of the movie was Lena Headey. While I wouldn't go as far as to say she was miscast, I felt she fell short of her own ability. She seemed weak in her delivery, falling victim to her bland and overused clichés ("freedom is not free", "what would a free man do?", "fight for liberty, justice, law and order, blah blah blah), whereas Butler was able to make his similarly unoriginal dialogue seem fresh.
David Wenham, per usual, was fantastic, providing an original and interesting voice for the narration.
The cinematography, the CG effects (except perhaps a few slip-ups with Xerxes' height and point of focus), and particularly the score all worked in harmony with the story to make it an enjoyable and at times exhilarating two hours.
If you're expecting an epic, a break-through film, or anything remotely historically accurate, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you've got an open mind, a penchant for violence, and a few hours to kill, it'll make for good entertainment.