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300
Cindy didn't get a chance to join me for this film but if
you listen to the 2-minute radio spot above you will
hear what she missed most!
Matt's Review below
Never Retreat! Never Surrender! The motto of the
Spartans and the obvious mindset of 300 director
Zack Snyder and his team as they breathe life into
Frank Millerís (Sin City) graphic novel. Think of this film
as Braveheart on acid. It takes the ìfreedom at any
costî mentality and kicks the amps up to overload. The
look. The feel. The sound. The dialogue. Everything is
total in your face filmmaking. A method, though not
good for most movies, is brilliant with this story.
King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) is head of Sparta, a
community bred of the greatest warriors. As all
nations around him are surrendering to King Xerxes
and the unbeatable Persian army, Leonidas takes up
arms to stand instead of kneel. When political
opposition and local issues keep him from being able
to go to war he takes 300 able soldiers to hold off the
armies of Xerxes. It is through these 300 warriors that
the story of honor, brotherhood and freedom at any
cost is played out. The movie never claims to be
historically correct and was definitely made for big
screen appeal instead of a historical documentary.
The story in itself is enough to make an empowering
film. But when you add the color and over all look of
this movie it elevates it to something more than just a
look into the past. The cinematography gives it a
ghostly, legendary, comic book feel without taking
away from the grand display of larger than life battle
sequences. This film looks amazing. Simple as that.
You can expound on it and try to come up with a
definition but nothing really describes it. 300 was shot
in 60 days with 10 visual effects vendors creating
1300 cuts involving some sort of visual effect. There
are only 1500 cuts in the entire movie so that tells you
the focus on effect. But it worked brilliantly.
The writing is decent too which is sometimes
surprising in an onslaught of effects. There are lots of
witty, Hercules type exchanges among the warriors of
Sparta. These are men who have been trained to be
cocky and arrogant and to spit in the face of death and
injustice. And it shows in their banter. You like these
guys and you want them to succeed as if by their
victory we all gain a little victory of our own. But guys be
warned. You may think yourself a man but you will feel
pretty small in comparison. Even compared to the
Spartan women! Yet if it makes you rethink your values
and what you are willing to stand and fight for, even
die for, then that is worth something. I doubt if that was
the plan of the filmmakers but it is hard to watch this
and not want to stand up for what is right. For yourself
and those around you.
Though some details were changed, the 480 B.C.
Battle of Thermopylae, on which Miller based his
comic book series, is said to have inspired all of
Greece to stand against Persia and usher in the
world's first democracy. Snyder has without a doubt
ushered in a stunning film. I would be disappointed to
see this style used commonly in the future. It is the
uniqueness that makes 300 what it is and in the end,
itís the story that is foundation for greatness. I give it
4.5 out of 5 spear thrusts. With a look at 300, Iím Matt
Mungle. 300 is Rated R for graphic battle sequences
throughout, some sexuality and nudity with a running
time of 117 minutes. It opens in theaters and IMAX on
March 9th.
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Matt and Cindy are members of the North Texas Film
Critics Association (NTFCA). For additional reviews
and interview clips visit the website.
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Mungleshow Productions
Matt Mungle
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