Short Review: Unequivocally the only movie ever made about screaming, half-naked, greased up men that is worth seeing .

In a time where homes downwind of movie theaters have to keep their windows closed each weekend to keep the stench out; this film is still an invigorating change. Yes, the dialog is seemingly overwrought, and the production is crammed with so much testosterone the DVD boxes have beards. Then there is the fact it is filled with half naked guys. There are many reasons to mock this production. Regardless, Zack Synder offered the freshest, most visually striking film since The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was released.

There is one thing that ignites my respect and approval and that is creativity. The inventiveness of this piece makes this worth seeing. From its fully realized art direction to the carefully constructed script, to the effective score, this is one of those films that combine all aspects of film making into a unified and pleasing whole.

The film follows Spartan King Leonidas as he leads 300 of his best men to hold off a army of thousands coming from Persia. Persian King Xerxes demands Sparta bend to his will and Leonidas refuses to submit to another man. When Xerxes comes to slaughter the defiant Sparta, it’s a battle royale where all of the players are apparently popping steroids between takes.


Many will most likely brush this film off as being a simple minded “guy’s movie”. Yes, there is bloodletting, screaming and oodles of death. Don’t be fooled by this film’s oafish exterior, there is more going on than a bunch of guys in leather jockstraps sweating on everything. The piece has a great deal to say about the battle between the rational versus the spiritual.

The main thrust of the film is a violent defense of The Enlightenment (or as I call it “Hey God, look -No hands!" The 300 Spartans do more than defend Sparta from the hordes of Xerxes in this film, they lay themselves down in an existential war against mysticism and religion.

Embodying mysticism, the self-worshiping devil Xerxes who is intent on commanding the world. Behind the Spartans are The Ephors who stand for organized religion. The Spartans deny both and look to remain clear of their theological entanglements to live free in their own “rational” world. Of course, the Spartans retreat from their rationality once bad things happen but that’s expected. It is the modus operandi of the self-reliant mind to crack under pressure. We’re all about being free from God up and to the point things go to pot, then comes the eventual reconsideration of one’s intellectual/spiritual footing. Despite this film’s desperate clinging to this world it is forced (albeit quietly) to bow to the afterlife.

Beyond the apparent sanguinary elements, there is a marvelously constructed piece of film making to be enjoyed. Each frame of this film is a work of deliberate beauty. I cannot think of another film so dedicated to making each inch of the screen so vibrant. Director Zack Snyder’s work is a breathtaking, visual pleasure.

The screenplay is equally as strong. Deceptively guttural, the dialog is a testament to the economy of language. Each line means something. Even when the characters are throw belligerent retorts to their enemies it isn’t meant as a sly wink to the audience, as we have come to expect from Schwarzenegger and company, but a reinforcement of the Spartan philosophy. The few words in this film are carefully chosen. Even the narration is deftly woven into the piece with care.

I seriously enjoyed this film. I was expecting this to be little more than a flashy version of all-star wrestling. I was thankfully proven wrong. Men will love this movie. This, much like Fight Club, speaks directly to our masculine side without shame.


Cautions: This is an exceptionally violent film. Digitized blood splatters, innumerable impaling, slow-motion beheadings and corpses abound. There is also graphic sex and nudity. This is not - I REPEAT IN LARGE UPPER-CASE LETTERS THAT BOLD - NOT - for children.


Worldview: As I mention above, the film essentially comes out in favor of The Enlightenment and "reason" over religion. As a Christian, how can I throw my support behind such a message, in particular one that revels in so much violence? Simple, Snyder is correct to put himself behind the Spartans.

The real Spartans were a brutish, fascistic lot. They had a code of conduct; heck, they had a code of existence. If you broke the code you were not allowed to play in their reindeer games. I see them as being the logical end of secular thinking. Without God, the perfection of mankind becomes the only reasonable goal. When you start talking about perfecting man its only a matter of time before you begin casting the hapless deformed babies off cliffs.

The battle of Thermopylae was a critical point in Western Civilization. Without it, none of what we have today would have been possible. It is one of those lynch pin moments of history. The only way to show this event is to back the Spartans. They were jerks, but they were right to push back against Xerxes intruding hordes.

Regarding the overt mind over spirit angle of the film. I don't find this offensive in the slightest. I want people to use their reason, to be thoughtful. I do not want people to define themselves by their religion or delve into mysticism. Religion is a problem, it gets worshipers to focus on process and symbols rather than the Truth and the Word of God. This in turn leads people to creating their own rules and regulations. It also leads to "us vs. them" thinking.

A film that pokes its finger, or in this case a sword, into the eye of religion - you're okay with me.
The Spartans in the film believed in gods. They weren't atheists. They simply didn't feel the need to worship a man or man made idols. In the film they fight against the old mystical thinking that still hinders many people in the world today. The sooner the ancient mysticism are vanquished, the better.



Related Reviews:
Zack Synder movies
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Watchmen (2009)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Dark Matters
Hollywood Jesus




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Labels: David Wenham, Dominic West, film, Gerald Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, movie review, Vincent Regan, Zack Snyder