This is a Re-Review
I've never done this before, but I felt so positive and negative about “300” I decided to review it again. I actually went to the movie again to try to search out why I reacted to the film so much. My opinion over all hasn't changed--I love and hate this film. As soon as I saw something really cool I'd see something that wrecked it. I wanted to write a second review to probe a little deeper into some of the themes in this movie that I couldn't get to in the first review.
Comic Books/Graphic Novels
One of the reasons I have trouble with this movie is that it was made from a graphic novel about a historic legend. It happens to be one of my favorite legends and as a movie about history this one misses the mark a lot. However, I almost always love movies made from comic books and graphic novels because in them the good guy can be heroic and the villain can be truly dastardly. Apart from movies based on comic books Hollywood has nearly forgotten how to portray heroes and villains. As a graphic novel adaptation this is a brilliant movie.
I really like movies to be accurate historically because it jars me back to reality when I see things out of place. There are exceptions though. I like “A Knights Tail” and it used modern music, zippers in costumes, etc, but it accomplished what it was trying to do. Then there are other movies where Hollywood has missed the mark so badly that it nearly ruins the film. Take “Gladiator” for example. Celtic music was trendy so the makers of Gladiator used Celtic music all throughout the film. It's about a roman gladiator, how about something a little more Roman. They may as well have used gospel choir music, or 80's new wave. If Freddie Mercury hadn't died I'm sure they'd have had Queen do the soundtrack.
Not that they completely screwed up the Spartans, or the battle of Thermopile. They did overstress the “Spartan Law” of never retreat/never surrender, which is stupid, inaccurate, and Captain Tagert's tagline in “Galaxy Quest.” Mostly they messed up everything to do with the Queen of Sparta.
Seriously there were no bigger misogynists in all of history than the Athenians and the Spartans can't have been that far behind them. I find it extremely difficult to believe that she would have ever been allowed to address the council of elders. Having Lionidas look for an approving nod from his wife before killing the Persian ambassador was clearly pandering to modern sensibilities and did far more to ruin Lionidas' character than it did to build up his queen's. Her words of encouragement in the bedroom were believable but they were quickly undone by her attempts to use her body to purchase favor with her husband's political rival. They should have stuck to action and left the romance out.
My Double Standard
So on the one side I love that this movie established an awesome Hero and two really vial bad guys. On the other hand it's doubtful, for all his valor, that Lionidas was that noble in the truth, justice, and freedom sense. It's also pretty clear that the Persians are getting a bum rap from this movie. As conquerors go they were really good about letting people have religious freedom and even elect their own leaders. They defeated Babylonia which had it coming and then liberated the Jews. As a matter of fact they treated the Jews very well compared to Greece when they conquered the Middle East a few decades later.
If you get the chance watch “One Night with the King,” and compare the two portrayals of Xerxes. Yes that's the same Xerxes that invades Greece to exact revenge for his father's defeat at Marathon.
The Answer Is…
So here I am arguing that I didn't like the movie from a historical stand point, because they could have really dug into Lionidas and Xerxes and the conflicting motives that drove them. At the same time I'm appreciating what a well crafted villain and hero they made because they weren't afraid to polarize the protagonist and the antagonist. My movie viewing values are in conflict. In order to not be a total hypocrite I'm going to conclude that this movie stands strongly as a graphic novel adaptation, aside from all the drama around the Queen. I recommend that you go see this film and that you don't learn anything about the Persians or the Greeks before you do.
Larger Story
My second look offered me a chance to check out the hunchbacked character. The scene between he and Lionidas when he is rejected by the king is really good. At first blush it's a little mean but think about it-there is something to be said about covering the man to your left with your shield. Many of us have tried to take part in something we weren't suited for. You need to have enough faith for yourself and the man next to you.
The other great scene featuring the hunchback is when he meets with Xerxes to betray Sparta. We can almost feel for him despite his treachery but it's what Xerxes tells him that is really evil. “Unlike your cruel king who demands that you stand, I only require that you kneel.” Too many times we Christians get the message that we should spend the rest of our lives on our knees feeling bad about our sins. There is a place for repentance but God does expect us to take our place in the battle. He created each of us for a purpose and we must humbly seek out that place and be that person we were created to be.
