It's good for what it is

Rating: 7/10 (4 May 2007)

After hearing so many raves about it on the internet, I was delighted when I won 2 tickets to see the movie. Getting one of my friends in tow, I went off in search of the megaplex in the city.
I can honestly say that 300 had one of the most megacharged atmospheres surrounding it. It is one of the few times that I've actually cheered in a cinema (involving a certain scene with a certain Spartan woman) and it really hyped me. The cinematography was amazing, and had a certain sense of being detached from reality, while still retaining some realism. I've never seen so many deaths in one scene, yet see so little blood.
There are criticisms however. One was that there seemed to be some not-too-subtle political points. For a nation based on martial discipline and slavery, they used the word 'freedom' far too many times. Also the exaggerated grotesqueness of the Persians seemed a little....weird, along with the suspicious lack of body hair among the Spartans.
I'm still not sure about why many people refer to the Spartans being all manly though. I would not claim them to be masculine at all- at least their ideals are not ones that I'd support.
It's a fairly enjoyable movie, as long as you try and ignore the political subtext.