One-dimensional

Rating: 6/10 (9 March 2007)

I found the film engrossing, but only because it was overflowing with striking imagery and plenty of skin. If we, the viewers, are to have a meaningful emotional connection with characters who risk their lives and lose them for the sake of their country, those characters must convince us they are, in effect, real people. In "300", realism is wholeheartedly jettisoned for the sake of artificial, though striking, imagery. As a result, it is a film for the head, not the heart. The characters are one-dimensional archetypes, hardly distinguishable from each other. In fact, if one thinks about some of the choices made by the director and/or production designer, it's almost laughable. (Capes?!!!!) The movie will be remembered only for its unique visuals, not for its impact on the heartstrings.