It was, OK...

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2007)

In my opinion, this was a movie to be recognized, and very criticized.
The movie was very theatrical, adding to more of the war like drama which was most likely experienced during the real Battle of Thermopylae. Though while many things were accurate, many other things deserved harsh criticism.
The Spartan training was very accurate in portraying the brutal life style that the young Spartans experienced, i.e. starvation, pro vocatives, and the will fight. Though the whole "cinimacy" of the movie was highly exaggerated.
The real Battle of Thermopylae was a cause of the Persians demanding water and earth, as the movie portrayed. Though, things like only 300 Spartans, is highly exaggerated. The real battle of Thermopylae had 300 Spartans, 700 Thespian volunteers, and 6000 Greek allies (about). The movie should have really been called 7000. While all but 1000 soldiers were dismissed on the 3rd day, it still portrays that less then 300 Spartans remained poised for battle on the 3rd day.
While the battle was amazing where in the Greeks were heavily out-numbered, it seemed that the movie was more played off for people to say "Woah.", rather then "Interesting.". Things such as Ephialtes being a disfigured man, and being told to leave by Leonidas, never really happened in History. While Ephialtes did betray the Spartans, he never was disfigured or told that he could not fight in battle, non-the less, he was a traitor.
Also, in the last scene were the Greeks were ready to fight the Persians, the Greeks had actually a whole different plan of attack. The had planned to have a fleet attack to meet the Persians on the 3rd day. As opposed to the 30,000 Greek soldiers fighting in the end. Also many of the Greeks real attack patterns were heavily changed from the movie to give it a more actiony appearance.
While the movie was never said to be historically accurate, It really could have done much better.
Also another thing that I found comical about the movie, was the constant blood splatter. All throughout many of the battle scenes, blood almost fills the screen, with barely any indication of blood splatter on the ground, or on the bodies of the Spartans.
Well there's my two cents on this movie, hope this helps.