"300" Brings Old World to New Light

Rating: 9/10 (12 March 2007)

The thunderous sound you hear is not the film's booming soundtrack. It is the sound of 300 Spartan soldiers marching forward to do or die for their country. This inspiring image is just a small sample of the visual feast that director Zack Snyder presents in "300." The film, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, details the battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartans warriors stood against over 100,000 soldiers of the Persian army. Snyder's vision is brought to life by the talented cast led by Gerard Butler. The cast does not merely bring out the viciousness of the soldiers but the nobleness and dignity of fighting for and defending one's country.
The country of Sparta is protected by the most skilled and trained warriors of the ancient world. When the self proclaimed god-king Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) leads his Persian army to conquer the world, he wants Sparta to submit an offering as a symbol of allegiance. Valuing the importance that they are a free nation, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) leads 300 of his best soldiers to battle against Xerxes' massive army. With the odds tremendously stacked against Sparta, the soldiers fearlessly fight against Xerxes' tyranny for their home and country.
Snyder has a wonderful gift of storytelling. He gives the audience all they can handle and does not hold anything back to show the gore or ferocity of the battles. By capturing many of the battle moments in slow motion, Snyder gives the audience the full strength of each kill, each swing of the sword, and each throw of the spear. Another strong point of Snyder's direction is his choice of a dark colored background for much of the film's settings. This assists with setting the mood and tone of an early time in human history and furthers the ominous task at hand for the Spartans. After showing the tremendous battles, Snyder lets the audience catch their breath by reminding us there is a side plot on the homeland. However, when that story comes back into play, the audience is caught off guard as that plot is practically forgotten. In this one weak spot, Snyder would have served well to integrate the two plots better rather than going 90% battle and switching to 10% story.
Gerard Butler is great as King Leonidas. He is not simply a barbaric, warrior-king. Instead, Butler presents him as loving, thoughtful, and patriotic. He shows the complexity of Leonidas when wrestles with the decision of fighting an impossible situation. Although Leonidas is a skilled warrior, he does not go to war simply because he wants to fight. He fights because he is protecting his country from a force that is threatening his land and his people. In battle, Butler shows the other side of Leonidas: ferocious, cunning, and merciless. Butler attacks his enemies with such fervor that there is little wonder why his men follow him. He instills in his men a pride that he feels of himself and Sparta that they are willing to die for their country and their leader. He does not need to say much to motivate his men as his actions are more forceful. Rodrigo Santoro really brings out the arrogance and ego in Xerxes. As Xerxes, he portrays the conviction that he is a god that it is almost believable that Santoro thinks this of himself. Santoro accomplishes this in the way he carries himself and the words he chooses to describe his actions. He feels he is kind and benevolent and it would be wise to surrender than battle a god. As Queen Gorgo, Lena Headey does not simply sit at home worrying when her husband will return. Headey is just as headstrong as her husband and her convictions are just as tough. What she lacks in physicality, she more than makes up for with his shrewdness and intelligence. The film is also backed by a great supporting cast including Dominic West, David Wenham, and Andrew Tiernan. Whether narrator, soldier, or villain, each actor leaves an impact with their limited role on the screen.
Pure and simple, "300" is a sumptuous visual feast. Director Snyder throws in everything that an audience could possibly handle and leaves them wanting more. The writing trio of Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, and Michael Gordon supply a very straightforward script. They stick mainly to the battle sequences and do not rely on unnecessary clichés of motivational speeches. "300" is backed by an incredible cast who bring the fantastic old world to new light. By the film's end, the booming you hear will not be the soldiers marching but of your own heart pounding.
GRADE:A-