"The most overrated film of the year...which needed to cut down on the slow-mo shots."
This film was based on a graphic novel which featured the factual battle of Thermopaly, but both the novel and the film fucked up the only good facts there were to make it all in the Spartan's favor, and cut out the ones that made them look the way they really were (kinda like when Constantine edited the Bible).
Yes, I know this is based on a Frank Miller graphic novel, and no, it doesn't make up for the 6 following reasons why I gave this film a 1.5 overall:
First off, there were 300 Spartans yes, but were also 1,000 Greeks at their side, and no, they didn't all run away like cowards.
Secondly, I hate to say it for those who liked it, but there was nothing monstrous about the appearance of the Persians, and therefore it was kinda racist to make them that way, especially when Zack's omitting the facts of WHY this incident occurred in the first place, and the number of soldiers present to defend the area. And the actual freaks & monsters in the Persian Army made absolutely no sense. Plus at this time in history, the Persians had the finest army the world over that not even 1,300 soldiers could hold off w/out the geological advantage they had.
Thirdly, anyone can make a movie or write a novel BASED/INSPIRED off a historic incident, but they can't omit or change facts in doing so, especially not both. The Spartans and Greeks were going back on a treaty with Persia that was AGREED UPON by the RULERS of Sparta and Greece THEMSELVES, and therefore, as much of a warlord Xerxes was, this invasion was the only rational one that he embarked on. Seeing as the Greek and Spartan end of the bargain wasn't being fulfilled. And sure, Xerxes would only SAY that was his excuse, but we all know he would have invaded anyway. The Greeks and Spartans were even smart enough to know that. BUT, they also knew that Persia would benefit too much if they obeyed the arms/trade treaties, and therefore would also know that Xerxes wouldn't dare invade if said treaties were being fulfilled. So that makes it like a contradictory statement: Xerxes would invade, but would ONLY give that excuse for the SAKE of having a reason to invade, but he also wouldn't do it cuz the treaty would benefit Persia too much. So Xerxes would just be a jackass to rationalize the invasion at all, though the Greeks and Spartans coulda saved themselves if they just HONORED the treaty THEY AGREED TO. And it's not like it would be any skin off their bones. It was working out alright BEFORE they canceled the deal.
Fourthly, a "TV Spot" has the simple agenda of showing you as much appealing footage as possible in less than 30 seconds time, and therefore, action scenes were in regular speed, if not sped up. And that made it look way cooler, and more believable, versus the tons of slow motion footage that dominates this film. I mean it was like my PC when downloading a 2 and ½ minute trailer: It does it in little 2 second beats over the course of an hour an twenty minutes; The footage playing and stopping, playing and stopping, playing and stopping. And like, sudden jolting stops as well. That's what all the action of the film felt/looked like. It was like: "Am I on the Indiana Jones adventure ride? Cuz I'm pretty sure I was in line for Space Mountain." And I was watching this on a friend's DVD on a big screen TV.
Fifthly, sorry folks, but Xerxes never offered Leonidas a plea deal face to face. That would just contradict his vicious character that Snyder set him up to be like. Oh wait! He DID do that! So that does contradict the charisma of the character. And, since Xerxes never cared of how many soldiers died to win the fight, just as long as he won it (just like Agamemnon from "Troy"), then he wouldn't bother to offer a plea deal to Leonidas at all (which he didn't in reality). And he would have won too, since 10,000 on 300 wouldn't take long, even with the geological advances. Oh wait! He did THAT too! So nevermind, he did contradict the character on that basis as well. The confrontation was a good scene though.
And sixthly, there was absolutely no character development after the first half hour or so. I mean you get the idea that Leonidas will sacrifice himself and the 300 to hold off the Persians, but nothing happens with the characters that changes after they set off to the location of the battle.
So just change those few things and you would have had a GOOD movie on your hands, but no. It was just way too overrated and crappy for the genre.
Slow motion can be a good thing, but not when it's used so much in a film like this. It looked SO MUCH BETTER in the trailers than in the actual movie.
I'd have expected better from a film like this, considering the hype it got. And sure, I understand that Snyder wasn't out to make an epic, but at least he coulda stuck with the truth some more and cut down on the ever annoying slow motion shots. Some were cool, but it seemed way too overused for me. Hence why the visuals didn't come off as great, since they were always locked in a freeze frame...seemingly.
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