Wildly Inaccurate, but...

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2007)

Beautiful.
This movie is about the famous last stand of the Spartans in the Thermopylae Pass, a narrow pass with a sheer cliff wall on one side, and a deadly fall into the ocean on the other. The Battle of Thermopylae is one of the most famous last-stands in history, it pits approximately 7000 Greek soldiers, led by the most brutal warriors Greece had to offer (The 300 Spartans), against an impossibly large Persian force, records and estimates of its size indicate that it was somewhere between 300,000 to 2,000,000 men. Most modern historians agree that it was likely around 400,000. The 7000 Greeks, with the Spartans at their front, fought for several days, killing an estimated 20,000-25,000 before falling themselves.
Now to the review:
This is one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen, it looked fantastic. It was fast-paced, exciting, and very gory. The movie didn't make me think about the deeper meanings of life, but I definitely left the theater feeling incredibly satisfied.
"300" was very inaccurate to the actual battle, but it did not cast a negative light on the film. If anything, it made the movie more enjoyable. Watching trailers for this movie, I saw monsters, elephants, and rhinos, and I was scared that were destroying the actual story of Thermopylae. However, once I actually saw the movie, I realized that the use of these monsters was only to exaggerate the actual strength and might of the Persian army, and in no way negatively influenced the film. The elephants and rhinos played a very small role in the film, and I actually found myself glad that they were included.
This movie was very, very good. The visual effects were amazing, the battles were well choreographed, and the soundtrack was near-perfect.
Plot: 10/10 (Based off of a real battle)
Acting: 7/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Special Effects: 10/10
Choreography (In battle): 10/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
"Cool" Factor: 10/10