Controversial

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2007)

Zach Snyder's adaptation of Frank Miller's "300" is a mixed bag. On one hand it's perfect popcorn entertainment with appealing visual effects. On the other hand, it contains a very questionable subtext and promotes a fairly war-friendly attitude.
Some have argued that one shouldn't read too much into the story and only enjoy the movie for its entertainment value. For a political comment a blockbuster was too low-brow anyway. Well, that argument isn't really legitimate, since a movie that's addressed at such a huge audience is fodder for the masses and will have some influence on them. But before we get into the old debate of what effect movies can have on the psyche of people, let's try to take a look at the technical side of this flick.
"300" is a very entertaining movie. Some have claimed that the battle sequences were too much and that the whole thing becomes tiring after a while. I disagree. I thought it was all put on very aesthetically and kinda thrilling at the same time. In this way it was superior to other movies with epic battles like "The Lord Of The Rings". "300" also outshines "Sin City", the other famous Frank Miller adaptation, because where Roberto Rodriguez only created intriguing visuals, this movie also has a rather intriguing story to offer. Sure, it's definitely not for everybody, but if you've seen the trailers you know what you're going to get.
So, the real problem with "300" is its message. Can the subtext be ignored? Can it all be seen as just an adventure story? Hardly. Some lines in the script and some story lines are just blatant war propaganda. Like when we're told that freedom has its price and that blood must be spilled for it. Like when the senate is depicted as a group of corrupt and inactive old people. It all just falls into place a bit too suspiciously when you take a look at the current state of affairs in the U.S.A.
And even if you don't want to read it as some kind of political comment, "300" is still glorifying violence and death on the battlefield in an alarming fashion. Violence is not as campy in this movie as it (deliberately) is in "Sin City" or even in a Tarantino flick.
Personally, I am not for any kind of restrictions in movies. I believe that it all comes down to the viewer and how much he or she is aware of subliminal messages in a movie. Can you enjoy "300" for its technical elegance alone or does the subtext ruin it for you? That's the question you have to ask yourself.