A visual spectacle worthy of a $9 theater seat

Rating: 8/10 (26 April 2007)

300 was a visually spectacular and overall stunning work of stylized cinema. The storytelling, which was of course entirely representative of Frank Miller's graphic novels, was clever and surprisingly concise (thank god this movie was less than 2 hours). Although some find the film's stylization annoying and excessive, I found the slow motion, grainy texture and high contrast to go hand in hand with the manner of the film. This was not intended to be a historical reference, or a romanticized candy coating like some period/history movies tend to be. It was intended to be a dramatic, entertaining stylization of a historical occurrence - and although some 'facts' were probably more like fantasy, and much of the story inferred or even invented, I didn't let that stand in the way of this truly enjoyable movie experience. My only disappointments come in the area of the acting; although it was somewhat necessary for the characters to be over-the-top, I felt some were simply trying to hard - Gerard Butler as Leonidas especially. Sometimes minimalism can be more powerful than excessiveness (Spartacus is a decent example).
If you are not offended by stylized, realistic gore and lots of death by spears and swords,, (which really, we all should be - sick lot we are) then 300 will give you a real thrill. What it lacks doesn't bring it to a screeching halt, and what it excels in makes it great. Worth my $9. 8/10.