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2 Reviews Of 300 To Snack On Before You Dine In Hell!!
Merrick here...
As you're (no doubt) aware, 300 opens today.
We've run a few reader reviews (including Massawyrm's write-up) from early screenings - but, for some reason, we've not posted a great deal about the film's actual release version.
Here are two reviews of the film - one decidedly "pro", the other "lukewarm". The "pro" review is written by a true-blue Geek for whom I have a great deal of respect (and with whom I generally tend to agree). Ironically, in this instance, I tend to agree with the "lukewarm" review more (as well as the Massawyrm review linked above) - and thought it was important to share this uncommon perspective with readers.
By the way, even though I had mixed feelings about the movie, if there's any way you can catch 300 in IMAX - I'd strongly encouage you to do so. There are some genuinely awesome visuals that would be breathtaking when outsized. CLICK HERE to see if an IMAX theater in your area is hosting the film.
With that, here are the reviews. First: the "pro" from my man Electric Dreams:
Hey there, just got out back from a screening of 300
tonite. Not sure if anyone has posted fan comments
about the film, but wanted to share none the less.
Overall it was magnificent, graceful and bloody as
hell. I have to say, some of the best flesh
penetrating effects I've seen, and I've seen my share
of films like Gladiator, Alexander, LOTR, King Arthur,
Troy, etc. The puncturing of the flesh, the spearing
of bodies, just very realistic. Of course someone
needed to tell the effects guys to put some blood on
the blades of the swords of the Spartans during the
bloodiest of scenes. It was amusing to see them
slaughter Persian after Persian and have clean swords
after piercing and slicing thru flesh.
The film was highly detailed in costumes, props and
wounds. Images up close were clear as crystal, yet the
background were always soft, blurred and colorful. A
few scenes where we see the main character of King
Leonidas standing overlooking the ocean, or the
battleground before him, we'd just see his back, but
it looked as if we were seeing the rear of SUPERMAN. I
guess it was the dark black hair and the red cape, but
it was symbolic in the fact that Leonidas was in fact
a "Superman" to his troops and in the eyes of the
enemy.
At one point though the film suddenly turned into
Stargate. King Leonidas gos to meet Xerxes, who comes
down from his palacial throne with large Egyptian
looking statues surrounding him, and he not only
resembles RA, but speaks with the deep gargly voice of
the G'aould, I was just awaiting his eyes to glow!
(but they didnt). Then Dominic West who plays Theron,
well I thought it was me until 3 other people behind
us in the theater mentioned it when the lights came
up, but he sure looked alot like a long haired Mark
Wahlberg.
The scene of young Leonidas and the wolf was just one
the coolest and most bad ass snarling beast vs man
confrontations I've seen on the big screen since maybe
Aliens. There was a moment where I felt a flashback of
Atreyu and the wolf messenger of the Nothing from
"Neverending Story" and anyone who sees this movie
will know exactly what I'm talking about!
Overall. The film was non-stop action and it seemed
almost too short. I was as thirsty for 20 more minutes
as the Spartans were thirsty for 20 more Persians to
conquer. Larry Fong and his 3 camera side by side
Cinematography made the fight scenes flawless and so
much more fun to watch. The dark overtones mixed with
rich color really brought out the comic book feel that
Frank Miller intended when he drew it, but to see it
on the big screen was a real treat.
Though I saw it for free tonite it will be well worth
the money to see this again on the big screen and I
cant wait to be blown away catching it on IMAX to.
Next year pre-Oscar nod to Larry Fong for Best
Cinematography and Best Director Zack Snyder is how
I'll end this!!! Raaaaahhhhhh!!!!!
-Electric Dreams.
Aiight. Here's the "lukewarm" from 30frames. This review features one of the collest AICN reviewer lines ever: "It was like a movie about Klingons made by Vulcans" . Great stuff. Here's 30frames.
I saw "300" at a press screening in Burbank last night.
"300" is hard, strong and unrelentingly cruel. Does that sound like gay porn? Wait 'til you see the muscle dudes fighting in leather speedos, piercing each other with long spears until blood spurts like - well you get the point.
"Hard and strong" was a repeated bit of dialogue in case you don't get the point. This movie does not mess around.
The "look" you have seen in the trailers is amazing and it is even better on the big screen. The actors do an okay job in green screen world. Their biggest effort was doing 800 sit-ups and push-ups a day to be ready for the film. Even a middle aged "councilman" with a minor role had toga-defying pecs as big as anyone at my gym.
And everyone was so serious. All the time. Every frame. Ser-i-ous. It was like a movie about Klingons made by Vulcans. Hard, violent and technically perfect but not necessarily engaging.
On the upside, the fighting looks great. The stylization of the technique was fresh and exciting. There are wild characters, monsters and exotic warriors that are distinct and get just the right amount of screen time. You believe the "300 vs a million" part thanks to the "hard and strong" stuff. The bad guys are truly bad (managing to be just a bit scarier than the heroes) and there are some boobies. And the fighting looks great. Spartans love to fight. And talk about fighting.
The whole "artificial world" look obviously distances the audience from the characters a bit. That is part of the deal, since they are never really "real" or anyone we engage with. I guess we are not supposed to care all that much anyway sense the Spartans are a
humorless group of war-loving automatons. That being said ...
The film-makers seem to WANT you to care because they have speech after speech about what it means to be a Spartan and how they will never give up and never surrender. Braveheart is an obvious predecessor here, but I cared much less about the Spartans. The movie is NOT too long, but the speeches make it feel longer than the 1:45 I estimate the film ran.
The film has long speechy voice-over that run over much of the action. The film opens with a long narrated flashback to childhood sequence and ends with a speech before a battle. There is more speech-ing than fighting, or at least it felt that way. It's kind of like Spartan CSPAN and the speeches largely run together.
Why is it so important to fight for Sparta? Because Sparta is free. They tell you that. A lot. Sparta=freedom. But the film opens with the story/scene of how all Spartan newborns are inspected by a priest for imperfections, defects or being too small. Spartan babies that don't make the grade are (we assume) killed. This is to ensure the fighting prowess (and perfect six-pack abs) of the Spartan army. This opening scene takes place on a cliff with a sea of discarded (baby?) skulls at the foot of it. This is "freedom?" These are the good guys. Fun, eh?
After Braveheart, I wanted to run off, get a kilt and fight against the English. After 300, I want to make sure no Spartans get anywhere near me. They are just too hard and strong and they might start telling me about how great it is to be a Spartan. But I WOULD watch the trailer again.
If you run this, call me "30frames."
In case you missed it on the front page, be sure to check out Harry's story about a subliminal WATCHMEN image ebmedded in a long-form 300 trailer!
tonite. Not sure if anyone has posted fan comments
about the film, but wanted to share none the less.
Overall it was magnificent, graceful and bloody as
hell. I have to say, some of the best flesh
penetrating effects I've seen, and I've seen my share
of films like Gladiator, Alexander, LOTR, King Arthur,
Troy, etc. The puncturing of the flesh, the spearing
of bodies, just very realistic. Of course someone
needed to tell the effects guys to put some blood on
the blades of the swords of the Spartans during the
bloodiest of scenes. It was amusing to see them
slaughter Persian after Persian and have clean swords
after piercing and slicing thru flesh.
The film was highly detailed in costumes, props and
wounds. Images up close were clear as crystal, yet the
background were always soft, blurred and colorful. A
few scenes where we see the main character of King
Leonidas standing overlooking the ocean, or the
battleground before him, we'd just see his back, but
it looked as if we were seeing the rear of SUPERMAN. I
guess it was the dark black hair and the red cape, but
it was symbolic in the fact that Leonidas was in fact
a "Superman" to his troops and in the eyes of the
enemy.
At one point though the film suddenly turned into
Stargate. King Leonidas gos to meet Xerxes, who comes
down from his palacial throne with large Egyptian
looking statues surrounding him, and he not only
resembles RA, but speaks with the deep gargly voice of
the G'aould, I was just awaiting his eyes to glow!
(but they didnt). Then Dominic West who plays Theron,
well I thought it was me until 3 other people behind
us in the theater mentioned it when the lights came
up, but he sure looked alot like a long haired Mark
Wahlberg.
The scene of young Leonidas and the wolf was just one
the coolest and most bad ass snarling beast vs man
confrontations I've seen on the big screen since maybe
Aliens. There was a moment where I felt a flashback of
Atreyu and the wolf messenger of the Nothing from
"Neverending Story" and anyone who sees this movie
will know exactly what I'm talking about!
Overall. The film was non-stop action and it seemed
almost too short. I was as thirsty for 20 more minutes
as the Spartans were thirsty for 20 more Persians to
conquer. Larry Fong and his 3 camera side by side
Cinematography made the fight scenes flawless and so
much more fun to watch. The dark overtones mixed with
rich color really brought out the comic book feel that
Frank Miller intended when he drew it, but to see it
on the big screen was a real treat.
Though I saw it for free tonite it will be well worth
the money to see this again on the big screen and I
cant wait to be blown away catching it on IMAX to.
Next year pre-Oscar nod to Larry Fong for Best
Cinematography and Best Director Zack Snyder is how
I'll end this!!! Raaaaahhhhhh!!!!!
-Electric Dreams.
"300" is hard, strong and unrelentingly cruel. Does that sound like gay porn? Wait 'til you see the muscle dudes fighting in leather speedos, piercing each other with long spears until blood spurts like - well you get the point.
"Hard and strong" was a repeated bit of dialogue in case you don't get the point. This movie does not mess around.
The "look" you have seen in the trailers is amazing and it is even better on the big screen. The actors do an okay job in green screen world. Their biggest effort was doing 800 sit-ups and push-ups a day to be ready for the film. Even a middle aged "councilman" with a minor role had toga-defying pecs as big as anyone at my gym.
And everyone was so serious. All the time. Every frame. Ser-i-ous. It was like a movie about Klingons made by Vulcans. Hard, violent and technically perfect but not necessarily engaging.
On the upside, the fighting looks great. The stylization of the technique was fresh and exciting. There are wild characters, monsters and exotic warriors that are distinct and get just the right amount of screen time. You believe the "300 vs a million" part thanks to the "hard and strong" stuff. The bad guys are truly bad (managing to be just a bit scarier than the heroes) and there are some boobies. And the fighting looks great. Spartans love to fight. And talk about fighting.
The whole "artificial world" look obviously distances the audience from the characters a bit. That is part of the deal, since they are never really "real" or anyone we engage with. I guess we are not supposed to care all that much anyway sense the Spartans are a
humorless group of war-loving automatons. That being said ...
The film-makers seem to WANT you to care because they have speech after speech about what it means to be a Spartan and how they will never give up and never surrender. Braveheart is an obvious predecessor here, but I cared much less about the Spartans. The movie is NOT too long, but the speeches make it feel longer than the 1:45 I estimate the film ran.
The film has long speechy voice-over that run over much of the action. The film opens with a long narrated flashback to childhood sequence and ends with a speech before a battle. There is more speech-ing than fighting, or at least it felt that way. It's kind of like Spartan CSPAN and the speeches largely run together.
Why is it so important to fight for Sparta? Because Sparta is free. They tell you that. A lot. Sparta=freedom. But the film opens with the story/scene of how all Spartan newborns are inspected by a priest for imperfections, defects or being too small. Spartan babies that don't make the grade are (we assume) killed. This is to ensure the fighting prowess (and perfect six-pack abs) of the Spartan army. This opening scene takes place on a cliff with a sea of discarded (baby?) skulls at the foot of it. This is "freedom?" These are the good guys. Fun, eh?
After Braveheart, I wanted to run off, get a kilt and fight against the English. After 300, I want to make sure no Spartans get anywhere near me. They are just too hard and strong and they might start telling me about how great it is to be a Spartan. But I WOULD watch the trailer again.
If you run this, call me "30frames."
-
+ Expand All
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I'm sick and tired of these mf'n period pieces. Give me the Jamie Pressly's Dead or Alive now dammit.
-
Would you happen to know what page number of the Halloween Remake script the GOTTA TAKE A SHIT mask might appear on? I have the script, you see, but I don't want to read the whole thing.
In fact I'll go ahead and open this question up to anyone out there who wants to answer. Is the GOTTA TAKE A SHIT MASK really in the script? And what page number is it on, if so?
Thanx! -
before meeting Hell's cafeteria lady
-
doesn't mention dialogue or narrative and merely creams himself on the action and visuals. 300 is going to suck...
-
I sent in a review more than a week ago from an early screening I saw in Pasadena. Either it sucked (because I was extremely positive?) or you didn't run it because I mentioned my distain for negative talk-backers. Well, I thought it was amazing.
-
The film, or your review? ;-)
-
...been as entertained by the tv ads for this movie? they make outrageous claims like, "This is the greatest movie in a generation!" or "This is as groundbreaking as The Matrix!" or "The Academy might have to make up a new category of awesomenity for a movie such as this!!" Okay, I made up that last, but the superlatives surrounding this movie are so asinine that I'm actually leaning towards seeing this. It's kind of a brilliant scheme, to overhype such a potentially shallow and pedestrian movie so greatly that you want to see it just to prove to yourself that it can't possibly be as good as that. "This Summer: Evan Almighty will redine moviemaking in ways not seen since Citizen Kane!"
-
from the get-go. For me, it doesn't interest me. The concept is great in terms of few against many, but the trailers did nothing for me. Those that loved the trailers I'm sure will love the movie.
-
It's on pages 4,5,18-22,76 and 101. It just keeps on popping up.
Or you could not be so lazy and read the script, if you even have it. By the time you've waited for someone to answer you could've read it. -
does this movie have lots of slomo crap in it? i hate that! and goofy action? i finally started watching Casino Royale, and the beginning super jumps and sliding around the building was so forced, its like watching a storyboard.
-
What movie 30frames is talking about...but to say there is more speechifying than fightifying doesn't jibe with the movie I saw. Sure they talk a lot about killing Persians...but then they actually kill a lot of Persians. I loved it.
-
But thanks. I was particularly moved by the long scene on pp. 18-22, where Doctor Loomis helps Michael create his new, updated Gotta Take A Shit Mask, in a montage sequence set to a Creed song.
-
The vision of a film that is pro-Bush, pro-USA, anti-gay, anti-United Nations, and flaunts the philosophy that "all men are NOT created equal" is even more striking than the visuals.
-
I had the same thought as 30Frames when I saw the pile of infant skulls...and the reality is that the Spartans seem sympathetic and free (even in Herodotus, not just Miller) only in comparison to the Persians - especially when you consider that part of the reason they were reluctant to deploy the full army was that they held down about 7 helots (slaves) for every Spartan. In the end Americans would find (and always have found) the Athenians more sympathetic than the Spartans. Of course, then again, over 90% of Downs Syndrome babies are aborted now, so maybe we're just more squeamish about our culling.
-
yesss....
-
does that mean theres a different cut out there? longer? or in terms of fx?
saw this at the berlinale, sadly my review wans`t posted but hey...
the movie is gold! extremly cool (like matrix-lobby-sequence cool). got me and my best friend giggling due to excitement the whole way through. they made the-xerxes/leonidas meeting kind of gay (he`s to big and then "bow down") but still.
am i the only one who thinks they put the spark into the eyes of the true spartans with fx?
anyway. go see it. THE start of blockbuster-action season. enjoy, i will as soon as it gets releases ober here (3 weeks) -
that ought to be..."over here" not ober here...sorry.
and i forgot to mention that i will enjoy it once again, and again, and again, and again... -
I didn't know West was in this. Very cool!
-
Means that individuals have rights and are respected whatever their differences. To call freedom anything else is propaganda of the worst Orwellian order. Of course Miller is a bit of rightwing nutjob and I love him for it in the context of his chosen mediums, but it's a bit much to see it reflecting reality.
-
isn't it?
-
The film just set a standard for how future battle films will be shot. Any film that shows a decapitation in slow motion like that has my seal of approval of being one of the best battle scenes ever. And the speeches? Just made you pumped up all the time.
The film wasn't a bunch a of liners as the previews show. I suggest everyone go see this in the imax. -
I had no problem with it. Yea its not Russell Crowe in Gladiator but just check it out and see for yourself. I kinda hate when people just assume a movie is going to be bad. You cant afford $10 to see a film that you might actually even like? What are you spending your $10 on? Thats what I am curious about...Hilary Duff films? Like what is a good film to you recently? I personally liked Smokin Aces. Didnt see Zodiac yet but I want to. Black Snake Moan was alright. But seriously what constitutes as a good film for you?
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Saw 300 at a midnight screeening and I have to agree with 30frames. It was very disappointing. I'm a big fan of Miller and 300, and I don't know if Snyder had to soften his movie for Hollywood execs, or what, but a great action/fighting story convuluted with added/unneccesary pointless dialogue. I gotta ask why? The Spartans are supposed to be bad ass, no retreat, no surrender, no mercy...etc. and they have sappy father/son plotlines and dialogue such as "It is an honor to die next to you...", "It was an honor to fight next to you!" BLAH! It was 30 minutes too long due to all the pap Snyder added. Who cares about the wife or Leonidas' son, and the tooth necklace symbolism, such Hollywood whitewash. So dissapoionting.
-
Really well written
-
Mar 09, 2007 3:25:53 PM CST
What's with everyone saying the spearing is homoerotic?
by 'cholera's ghost
I read that somewhere else. When you write with a long pencil, is that homoerotic too? If you cut open a fruit, does it spurt like--"well you get the point"? Does everything in you people's minds have to be a metaphor for phalluses? (phallasi?) Hey, you know what? Guns are long, hard, and shoot stuff out, but I don't remember anyone so quickly reading so much into Die Hard or Rambo (who was, gasp, shirtless at some points).
-
Just saw the Imax in SF. Wow, so entertaining. Most entertaing film in a year or two. The look, the over the top enemys and diolouge and lets not forget the 75% of the film that is comleatly fucking gay. Not like lame gay. Not insulting gay, just homocentric. Hot sweating warriors, fighting together (naked), sleeping together (naked), eating together and stiking their swords in any man they can find at "The Pass". Mcnulty from "The Wire" is just sorta gay, but he's a bad guy. The persian king was sooooooooo gay he needed hella trannys around just to look less gay. I think if you are compleatly straight, you cannot like this film. Look into your heart you fag. that adrinaline you felt when the rugged king penitrated his shaft into the soft flesh of his advisary, that makes you sooooo gay.
-
That's stuff as gay they come. You think that big building that Willis is running around in his underwear throughout is just there as a plot mechanism? One MASSIVE phallic symbol. Oh yes.
-
Can't wait to see this tonight!!!
-
Next thing you guys are gonna claim that Top Gun is homoerotic too!!! What a buncha nuts!! All I know is it's a good movie that gives me a boner!! What else does a completely straight guy need from his flicks?!
-
of course a film that depicts a war-hungry race that uses rhetoric like "Freedom" while endorsing a culture of competition against all odds (ie- natural end of capitalism) is going to be compared USA.
-
This film is probably a whole lot of fun. For fan-boys and for gays. You can be a heterosexual fan-boy and still think that a guy with big biceps kicking ass is cool. It does not make you gay. You can be gay and enjoy the sexiness of the rippling muscles AND the violence, as a fan-boy would. Women are of no consequence in these movies and are just levered in to make heterosexual men feel safe and not gay. Really, a lot of heterosexual men would LIKE to be involved in all-male activities much of the time; this does not make you a homosexual. Every guy who likes to play sports or go hiking about without girls about is not gay. But that doesn’t mean that gay men can’t bond in this very masculine way too; they do. Male-bonding is often connected to homoeroticism but that doesn’t mean that it is gay. Nor does it mean that it is exclusively heterosexual.
My second point is that just because someone wants to judge this film on a political/ intellectual level (Bush, racism, war) does not mean that you have to fly into a fucking hissy-fit defending your gung-ho, action-man sensibilities, Frank Miller’s comics or your hard-on for muscular men or violence. The meanings ARE THERE to be read IF you want to do so. Ignore them and enjoy the gore and the abs but they are present and spotting them is just a game, an intellectual game; it does not make you a shrill feminist killjoy, a paranoiac or an asshole to do so. It’s just another way of processing the film. I think that this film is probably a bit racist; I also think that it’s probably homoerotic (Sparta muscles), homophobic (Xerxes’ lip-gloss), fascist (slave-owning militaristic assholes), pro-Bush-conservative (Freedom isn’t free), and very hummersexual (for new men who are trying to bolster their flagging 21st century masculinity with boot camps, big cars and designer stubble).
But I will still enjoy it. Because it’s fun.
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