Great action film.

Rating: 7/10 (23 March 2007)

With all the advertisement and hype of 300, I felt obliged to go to one of the very first screenings in my local area. I only expected a through-and-through action film, but after watching 300, I realized it was a whole lot more.
Based on the historical battle at Thermopylae, 300 follows the story of King Leonidas and his group of Spartans (clearly 300 of them), as they hold back wave after wave of Persian soldiers (in the millions).
The story may be simple, but what the 3 writers brought out of it (Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, and Michael Gordon), and of course, Frank Miller is exceptional. The themes aren't so subtle, but for a movie like this, they cannot be. Ideas of Spartan teamwork and glory resonate throughout the entire two hours. The dialogue is sharp, smart, and will be quoted for quite some time. One of the lines that I felt stood out was one of God-King Xerxes, who says: "Cruel Leonidas required you to stand. I only require that you kneel." The dialogue would have been nothing without a troupe of good actors, and 300 does not fail in this department. Notable performances include David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes, and of course, Gerard Butler as King Leonidas. The characters they portray are powerful and charismatic - the passions they excite are appropriately over-the-top. At times though, I felt that Gerard Butler could have said things better than he did, as with these kind of films, there is a fine line between being melodramatic and overdoing it.
For most people who see the movie, it would be because of the striking visuals. It is without a doubt that this film delivers in that respect. Although the state-of-the-art CGI is well on show, what I felt was most awe-inspiring was the direction and cinematography. Quite simply, it was beautiful.
The costumes and props were vibrant and fitting. The CGI polish improved it five-fold.
Zack Snyder has come from no where to being up there with the likes of Peter Jackson and "Lord of the Rings" and many of Steven Spielberg's movies. I cannot tell you any single shot that caught my eye, only because it would detract you from many of the other great ones. But rest assured, you will admire at least one of them in 300.
I must comment on the action sequences since people will want to know what they are like. 300 arguably has some of the best new age action sequences since "The Matrix". It does use a lot of slow motion techniques like the Wachowski Brothers classic, but unlike other movies, it does it with (ahem) style. If it is only for the action sequences that you go to see 300 for, then you will be satisfied.
A definite must-see that hovers between being a cult hit or blockbuster classic. 9/10