Fairly good adaptation but a militantly fascistic propaganda akin to Triumph of the Will

Rating: 1/10 (17 March 2007)

I saw the open-captioned film "300" with the numerous deaf and hard of hearing audience patrons Friday night. I remember snatching a glance at the deaf man with his acquaintance sitting on the left row to my right center. He imitated the on-screen roar of Spartan war cry "AROOOOO!" with a specialized sign a few times throughout the film.
I was bemused by this behavior. Not that audience patrons' silly impression matter. What matter is the effect 300 the movie have on the receptive audience's attitude in the current situation. The timing couldn't be more fortuitous than the release of 300 as the new Western war approach upon Iran/Syria's sovereignty.
I separate art from politics regardless. I saw Apocalypto and came away amazed. I saw The Pianist and felt its haunting surreal effect. I saw 300 and came away disappointed and a little disturbed by its bellicose message alternating with the reason for the need to preserve freedom while expounding ultra-nationalist fervor.
What's good about 300 is that the film apparently very faithful to the source material, even taking dialogue verbatim from the comic pages. But whereas the film's panel-to-film adaptation is commendable, it's quite a tedious experience with barely sustainable character development that consist of few raw emotions and bizarre directorial choices in making the battles and dramatic moments emulate the look and feel of flashy music videos.
I know Zack was a music video director, as are the handful of established movie directors of similar background. At least David Fincher wasn't stupid in being tacky to pull the hyper-actively frenzied crank up, crank down & slo-mo editing gimmick. 300 movie is all style and less substance because of this. And there are way too many slow motion scenes that's incredibly annoying and induced me to let out barely stifled yawns.
I enjoyed Frank Miller's graphic novel years ago, but the movie adaptation (the filmmakers insist it is an exact interpretation of the originating material) feel underwhelming and strangely languid.
Worth mentioning is the unvarnished truth this movie represent the following credo -- unapologetically racist in fostering xenophobia with the jingoistic zeal, virulent condemnation of the "weak & disabled" by forced ostracizing with justified termination utilized according to the Nurture/Nature way of Darwin law and fascistic-ally militaristic that would make Hitler, Mussolini, General Patton (whom I greatly admire, in spite of his unorthodox view) & Air Force General & demented Cold Warrior (an advocate of nuclear war, I kid you not) Curtis LeMay proud.
I don't blame Frank Miller, the author of the graphic novel, even if he happens to be a misanthrope as alleged. The comic is separate from the film as Mr. Miller creates the work of *art* for the readers to evaluate. The movie as well as graphic novel are merely re-telling of the true event of the Spartans' last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae that exemplify patriotic duty, ferocious loyalty and unsurpassable towering valor.
I object to the movie vision of 300 because it is in effect an endorsement of unrealistic high-octane, stone-cold emotionless (except anger & rage, if that's all there is) machismo to place the impossible test on the definition of manhood (the culprit behind bullying & hazing in school & life) and ultra-nationalistic militarism with less logic in foresight and diplomatic reason before the last option.
Zack Synder, Mark Canton and co-screenwriters Kurt Johnstad & Michael Gorden have no shame for producing what may be the most pervasive propaganda since Triumph of the Will, the infamous documentary. There are certain analogies between 300 the movie and the vintage 1935 b&w film. Their claim (Zack, especially) that the film is not intended to be a geopolitical allegory is bunk.
The analogy is so unmistakable that I wonder whether the filmmakers took notes during a video viewing.
I believe in rational patriotism and humanitarian reason as the wise philosophers of the ancient and romantic periods decree. Nationalistic pride is healthy whereas ultra-nationalism only blind that cause ill-considered choices which will change the course of human civilizations in affected continent/regions as well as mankind's destiny.
Because of how I perceive the message of the movie from a historical (though 300 is essentially a work of fiction based on real events and figures) and political standpoint -- trying hard as I can to be impartial -- the movie is an utterly distasteful type of propaganda that cater to the brutish instinct of the enthusiastically receptive audience patrons as some positive reviews below demonstrate.
This could be one of the reasons that help sell the new, more expensive American war on the present Islamic Republic of Iran as a "psyop". Real history matter so we learn from it to apply the lessons for the security and welfare of the Republic; historical fiction that strive to make the Spartans resemble gods while the other side look ugly and monstrous is indisputable propaganda.
The fact that the association of neo-conservative university professor of classics & Greek military history (passionate defender of Bush/Cheney's "war on terror") Victor Davis Hanson's extreme right-wing agenda with the book re-print "300" in foreword lead me to believe the filmmakers endorse fundamental militaristic way of life as the end-all answer to existing crises.
Denying that this film isn't political at all is plain lying. Frank Miller is spared, but the rage-filled jingo filmmakers are to be admonished for pursuing the subconscious agenda to top the cream whip with the cherries of bellowing melodramatic theatrics, stylized violence and flashy cinematic gimmicks to produce the most peculiar and magnificent propaganda film in recent times.
A nauseating (not gore but shrill tone) and weirdly disturbing experience for the politically astute, indeed.
One star out of ****
Zack, Mark & co, you need to wake up from your hatefully caustic stupor.