Visually stunning with a message to boot

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2007)

I saw this movie today, on opening day. Having seen the HBO First Look I knew what to expect visually, and I knew that the movie was not attempting to be historically accurate. With expectations set, I was ready for exactly what the film delivered: intense action, powerful characters, and a grand story with a point to make about sacrifice.
That's right: sacrifice. Sure, the dialog is about freedom. It's about Spartan Law. It's about standing against a tyrant as free men. But the real theme is about the kind of person or people who would intentionally sacrifice everything they had, not for glory or honor, but for the sake of everything they hold dear. Everything down to the explanation of how a phalanx works -- "every man protects the man to his left, from knee to shoulder" is about interdependency, being part of something bigger than yourself, and being willing to sacrifice yourself for that very thing.
The movie earns its "R" rating in just about every way (except, amusingly, the utter lack of foul language). It also earns the right to be called an excellent movie.