Spartan Glory

Rating: 9/10 (11 March 2007)

The Battle of Thermoplyae, 300 characterizes the Spartans who fought there. When studying Greek history it is often too easy to focus only on "the philosophers and boy lovers," Athens, and its intellectual achievements, while labeling Sparta as a barbarous, war-mongering city-state. 300 shows Thermoplyae in all its gruesomeness, but it too shows a Sparta otherwise overlooked; the politics of its council, the corruption, the adherence to the will of the Gods.
As portrayed, the battle is not necessarily historically accurate. However, since it is recounted by a survivor, it must be viewed as a work of propaganda to galvanize Greece. The bigger than life elephants are what one would imagine while listening to the stories of how Leonidas and his 300 Spartans held off the armies of Persia.
The cinematography is amazing. Colors are dulled for an older feel. Shadows that were such a success in Sin City are again used. Most noticeable are slow motion fight scenes. A Spartan charges, normal speed, reaches the Persian, a slow motion kill. The juxtaposition of slow to fast emphasizes the speed of the battle, while pausing to show the severed limbs.
If war movies or history is your interest this film is a must see.