My review of the film 300

Acting: ****
Plot: ***
Story: ***
Dialog: ***
Direction: *****

300 is a historically inaccurate retelling of story of what happened to the Spartans who went to Thermopylae in hope of delaying the Persian empire's invasion of Greece. The name "Thermopylae" means hot gates, and refers to a narrow pass by which an invading army must pass into Greece via the northeast. Today, that area is inland, but back then it was a key pass, indeed it was a gate into Greece.

The film is based on a Frank Miller comic book intended for hormone-crazed teenage boys. So perhaps one shouldn't expect historical accuracy in the first place. Nevertheless it's interesting to point out a couple differences. There were at least two big ones: First, in real life Leonidas did not die heroically but was actually captured by Xerxes and made into his personal slave. This fact couldn't be presented in the film because it could chop the legs out from under the entire enterprise.

The second major break from historical accuracy is in the form of an omission. The film skips entirely over that teensy detail of the real Spartans' enslaving fellow Greeks (the Messenians) as well as native non-Dorian "Helots", which would not be quite so bad if the Spartans in the film did not justify going to Thermopylae by talking bravely about protecting Greeks' freedoms. A slave-owning state that enslaves fellow Greeks seeks to protect Greeks' freedoms? How very dramatically expedient.

Despite these flaws, 300 is actually an entertaining romp of a war movie, more about testosterone, oily muscles, and a loyal, sexy MILF queen. Younger boys will of course identify with the young Leonidas, who had to face down a hungry wolf as a test of his worthiness. Yeah, we've all been through something like that. Older man of course will empathize with full-grown Leondias, whose heading off to Thermopylae was just like any day we're stuck in traffic, surrounded by barbarian hordes.

I do have a wee question for the filmmakers, however. The film also glamorizes the idea of native people fighting against an evil empire. These days it's a common theme for many people: Palestinians dealing with Israeli occupiers, Californians dealing with Mexican invaders, you get the idea. Yet this theme in a war movie is rather ironic because while it could be said to hint at modern-day Iran, it is more appropriately analogous the Iraq insurgency's repelling of Americans. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

Finally, the simplistic dialog of 300, to be expected from an action movie and presumably taken from the comic book, is read with inspiring, intense conviction by all actors. I give them credit for that. That's real character acting. But so serious are they that when a "PG version" spoof 300 trailer (here) was posted to YouTube recently, I must have watched it 10 times, laughing each time. (Frosting!!!!!)

My review of the film 300

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