A Fresh Perspective

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2007)

One of the greatest challenges facing filmmakers in our time is how to offer a fresh perspective with every subsequent film. How does one go about doing something that appears different, and novel? This is exactly what Zack Snyder achieves with 300. He manages to re-tell an old story, with done-to-death plot elements, and special effects that are on par with other 'war' movies, to stand out from the crowd like a pretty girl. 300, simply put, is a sight for sore eyes.
Gerard Butler does a terrific job as king and leader, and there isn't a single moment in the film in which you feel otherwise (maybe except when his abs are in more focus!). And, his 300 men do not disappoint in giving the impression that they really were the 300 Spartans, and it would be really unwise to make them angry.
The villains in this case (the Persians) are not only vast in number (which is nothing new), but they are over the top as well. So you have a mix of Alexander and Lord of the Rings, but with a greater reality.
The cinematography and editing deserves special mention too, and the movie shows how different elements of film-making, when put together in new and creative ways, almost always manages to do the trick - create a breath of fresh air.
And how!