What it lacks in depth, it compensates with creativity in spades

Rating: 8/10 (25 September 2017)

300 is a unique film. When it first came out, it was met with a very polarizing reception. Some claimed it was a masterpiece, others claim it was an overrated pile of trash. This would latter prove to become a tentpole in Snyder's filmography. The visuals were hailed as majestic, the dialogue catchy and quotable, the action and violence exhilarating, relentless, and spectacular, Gerard Butler as King Leonidas one of the next big icons in cinema history. Others, on the other hand, found it to be exhausting visual noise with little to no depth or purpose to any of its stylistic action montages.
In my honest opinion, I think both sides are right. If you love the movie, I can totally see why. If you hated it, I can also see why. I guess your level of enjoyment with this film will depend mostly on two factors: your personal taste in movies, and your expectations when approaching this one.
Let's get out of the way the obvious points. The acting from everyone involved is great, with Butler being the obvious standout. Everyone looks believable as Spartan soldiers and truly help sell the epicness of the action (which is expertly choreographed, I should say). Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes is both entrancing and downright evil, which is totally appropriate and fits the nature of this godlike character. Some of the best moments in the film are when both Leonidas and Xerxes are having an interchange, maybe because they are both truly mesmerizing actors, and moments like these allow their characters' personalities to shine for once.
Visually, this film is glorious, and it still holds up a decade after the film's initial release. Backgrounds, armies, cinematography, the color palette, the settings, the creatures, make up effects, and the carnage (oh god, the carnage) are all exquisitely made. The movie's visual aesthetic is worth the price of admission alone. It helps the film stand out as one of the most entertainingly brutal and creative war movies of recent times. The super-imposition chroma key filming technique is also admirable, as it allows Frank Miller's panels to come to life on the big screen.
However, and now we turn to the negative side of the film, when it comes to the story itself.. there's very little substance to match up with the insanity that is the stylistic nature of this movie. Basically the plot revolves around Leonidas gathering a group of 300 warriors to stop the Persians and prevent Sparta to fall under Xerxes' tyranny. That's it. There's no real plot twist nor inventiveness to it. Its just people fighting after people fighting after people fighting.
Now, one can defend this by saying the film is not interested in an innovative or a thought provoking story, but instead uses a relatively simple story as connective tissue for the action sequences, which are the real standouts. It was that way in the graphic novel, though in a way, the film's very loyal to its source material. I understand this, and if it wasn't obvious already (I gave the film an 8/10 after all) this bothers me little to nothing. That being said, when judging the film objectively, its lacking in the narrative department is something that needs to be addressed, and depending on whether you care for a well thought out story to accompany your action, as good as it may be, this will come through as a significant flaw for you, and a deal breaker before deciding if seeing the film or not.
300 is, once again, a unique film, and its definitely not for everybody. It is one perfect example of a film that's style over substance, and that may irritate the most demanding viewers. This is no Gladiator, no Braveheart, no troy nor LOTR. However, what it lacks in narrative depth more than compensates with amazing to behold action sequences, and a mesmerizing work in the visual department. Its story is more than enough to move the film forward, and the result is an engaging, entertaining, brutal, surreal and bloody war film that never gets boring, and eventually wins you over with the way everything comes together. In spite of its divisive nature, I do suggest that film buffs check this film at least once. Who knows, maybe at its worst it can come off as a guilty pleasure. As for myself, I do stand with my take on it as one of the most purely entertaining action films I've ever witnessed.