America's Alexander Nevsky or Henry VI

Rating: 8/10 (11 April 2008)

I have just finished watching this film on A Blue Ray. It was better than I thought it would be, and I did enjoy it. However, even if you say this is created from a graphic novel, in no way is this film not a propaganda movie. Perhaps Zack Snyder, the director is trying to make it obvious, I think that he might become our American Sergei Eisenstein, or want to become the new D.W. Griffith.
First, the parallel between this film with Alexander Nevsky and Henry VI should not be lost on viewers. In each case, they're was an enemy on the horizon, In Alexander Nevsky, made before world War II, it was Russians battling the Teutonic (Read German) barbarians who would invade their land. In Henry VI, the Olivier version, the invasion of France was imminent, (Perhaps it had already happened) and I believe that they beat the French during that historical period on French soil. With "300", we have a Greek nation Sparta (Read U.S. and Britain) fighting a lone battle against the Persian Empire (read Iran or anything Islamic). George Bush says Iran and the Islamists want to change are way of life, which is also stated in this film as well, they even talk of the conquest of Europa.
While Sparta goes and fights, the rest of the Greek Nations are portrayed as old, and fearful of war. remember Rumsfeld calling Germany and France Old Europe. They are portrayed as ignorant of the threat that Persia possesses, and even worse, possibly treacherous. the king of the Spartans as portrayed by Gerald Buttler, the one traitor says that he is leading us to Anarchy with his stand of the 300 against the Persian army. Isn't this the way many feel about President Bush around the world? Yet in this film, Sparta is shown to be correct, and the other Greeks wrong. It is only with the sacrifice of the 300 in this film, that the Greeks rise up to defend Democracy, in the film, against the Persians. Listen to that last bit of dialogue by the only one of the 300 to survive, as he leads the thousands of soldiers with the charge at the end of this film. John Wayne never did it better.
Some have commented that we never feel for any of these characters of the 300. I don't think we are meant to, since we know they are doomed. The last scene of Gerald Butler as the King dead, is like a crucified Christ figure. I also got a kick out of his performance, on some occasions he would sound like Sean Connery, and ironically looks a little like George Clooney, a man I'm sure would never have agreed to do a film like this. Perhaps an intentional dig at Clooney who has shown his distaste for the present American foreign policy.
One of the troubling aspects of this film, is the use of Black Actors as major villains. Some have commented that blacks would have been part of the Persian Empire, and have been addressed as Persians, however they are shown at the leaders of the Persians. I was hoping that the audio commentary on the disk I viewed this movie, would addressed this, but the director and Screen Writer chose to avoid this, as they did about the anger of the Iranian government, which I thought was too bad, at least what I heard, did I possibly miss something. Has the original creator, Frank Miller addressed this? By the way, My Girl friend who is African American was not offended, and neither were her sons. I haven't heard any African American groups have a complaint against this film.
The film reminded me a little of the Road Warrior, and I think it has elements of that. I probably enjoyed this movie because of what I did see in it, the obvious to me propaganda element, and their-fore being able to recognize the film being more than a entertainment tool. Also it is a visually artistic beautiful film to watch, and may be paving the way with films like Sin City and Beowulf, towards a new world Cinema.