100% Style 0% Substance

Rating: 3/10 (12 March 2007)

If you're turned on by ultra-stylish visuals, every scene trying to look like a painting, and graphic violence, then you'll like "300". You'll not care about the near-absent drama, the cheesy dialogue, or the blatant rip-offs of BRAVEHEART.
I loved Snyder's DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, and was excited for his follow-up, until I saw the preview for 300. Instantly I realized he's returning to his TV commercial and video director days of caring only about visuals and "looking cool". He could care less about characters or drama, the elements I consider most important and thought most people (whether or not they're aware of it) do too, but apparently not, because out of all the people I talk to about the movie it's almost universally praised.
Maybe it's the six-packs, I don't know. I suppose I recommend people to see it just because most people do love it, and the visual style is pretty unique. The video-game look totally distances me from getting sucked in, and even more so from the much-too-frequent narration. Rounding out my list of cons is an absolutely pointless side plot that leaves me wondering if Snyder has bothered to learn even the basics of drama.