300:comic book characters in codpieces

Rating: 5/10 (7 March 2007)

If slashing, gashing, and stabbing, and blood flying everywhere is the film genre you enjoy then Frank Miller's latest graphic novel brought to the silver screen is a must see for you. 90 minuets of the entire 117 minuets are devoted to the art of maiming, gouging, and inflicting as much pain as possible to your opponent in each battle scene. The film is very loosely based on the historical battle of 300 Spartans verses the Persians. Almost entirely shot on green screen, the film is a piece of art in itself. More like a giant comic book laid out before the audience, each frame escapes it's own borders into the next. Mr. Miller has far surpassed his work in SIN CITY. 300 has depth, perspective, and almost a 3D quality. I viewed this film in a regular theater, I can only imagine what the effect would be on an IMAX screen. Unfortunately, the film caves in on itself. I did not know that Spartan's spoke with a heavy Scottish accent. There are so many inside jokes told by the Spartans that because of their accent and the excellent FX sound quality, the audience misses most of the one-liners. The film moves very slowly and after the third volley of Persian arrows which blacken the sky, it seemed as though 300 was running out of plot. Viewing this film as a 'screener' meant that I did not have to dip into my wallet at all. Hopefully Mr. Miller's next film will have more plot instead of spectacle and gore.