Wagnerian, Juvenile, Claptrap

Rating: 3/10 (29 March 2007)

While stunning to look at, and a technical marvel, 300 is a hateful film that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Like other Hollywood attempts to romanticise history, the film makes no attempt at all to understand the Persians - or even to give them any credit for humanity or culture. No, we take the tired old Euro-centric route that the Greeks invented civilisation, while baby-eating barbarians hammered at the gate.
Worse, the Persians here aren't just barbarians - they are actual, no I'm-not-kidding MONSTERS. Ugly, disfigured creatures with sharp teeth, multiple piercings - oh, and they are sexually androgynous and sadistic too. Though that may be more to satiate our "civilised" boy audience.
Art? Culture? No, the Persians were obviously too busy murdering each other in nasty ways, or having kinky sex for that.
Balance? Pah. This comic-book history robs the Greeks of their true victory, and provides fuel for small minded haters of cultures other than our own.
Frank Miller is a genius? Maybe as an artist. Personally I found his message in this film puerile and simple-minded.