300 Steelbook (WM/4KUHD/BD/DIG)

Before going to see "300" this afternoon I watched the 1962 film "The 300 Spartans." I have a strong affection for the marching music in the film and the shot of Leonidas leading the Spartan phalanx for the last time, plus an enduring sense of injustice at the Persians dispatching the last Spartans by wave after wave of cartoon arrows. I had read Frank Miller's "300" when it was first published in five issues so I knew what to expect. This film is not history: it is art. Granted, we are talking post-modern art, but that still counts as art in a world where computers are as important as cameras when making a movie. The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 B.C. The Persian army of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) is invading Greece with the largest army the world has ever seen. With the Spartan army prohibited from marching north because of a religious festival, King Leonidas (Gerald Butler in fine form) heads for the natural bottleneck on the main road between Locris and Thessaly with the 300 men of his bodyguard. After three days of battle the Spartans were betrayed by a man named Ephialtes who showed the Persians a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines. While the rest of the Greek soldiers retreated, the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians were slaughtered to the last man. Simonides composed a famous epigram that was engraved as an epitaph on a commemorative stone placed on top of the burial mound of the Spartans at Thermopylae: "Go, stranger, and tell the Spartans, That we lie here in obedience to their laws." Miller was inspired by historical events but was not constrained by it in telling his story. In his version Ephialtes (Andrew Tiernan) is no longer a poor shepherd but a deformed figure who was born to parents who fled Sparta rather than leave their infant on a rock to die, adding elements of pathos and irony hitherto unseen with regards to the character. Nor is this movie the attempt to faithfully bring Miller's art to life that we saw with "Sin City," which is perfectly fine with me. Besides, director Zack Snyder's film reminded me more of lots of other films, from "Gladiator" to "Hero," more than it did "Sin City." I want to say that what we saw of this type of modern filmmaking in "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" has been refined, but that would be quite an ironic comment to make about such a gory and gritty film. Ultimately, the movie is rather impressionistic in nature, emphasizing graphic images over everything else, which brings us back around again to the idea that "300" is art and not history. I was quite pleased the overall "300" met my expectations. During the first part of the battle Snyder ( "Dawn of the Dead" ) resorts to the rapid series of cuts that I have come to deplore in contemporary action films because I can never tell what is happening. I understand that a battle is a sea of chaos, but if I cannot tell what is going on I become distracted. I want to see what is happening in order for the scenes to become memorable to me. Fortunately the rest of the movie takes full advantage of slow motion technique we see in the trailers and television spots for the film. In fact, "300" makes better use of slow motion than any film I can remember, mainly because the point is not to prolong the suspense (e.g., the end of the fight in "Rocky II"), but to let you see what is happening (e.g., River's fight scenes in "Serenity"). Think of watching big hits in football in slow motion replay and you get a sense of how Snyder is able to strategically slow down the action to see not only the power but also the grace of the violence. Looks are everything in this film, so the Spartans fight bare-chested, the better for their muscles to ripple, while the Persians might be the most overdressed warriors in cinematic history (although I admit that I have to wonder where the Spartans were hiding their helmets on the long trip from Sparta to the Hot Gates). "300" is a film that glories in visual excess as the army of Xerxes becomes a computer generated million man march and the pass at Thermopylae exists between towering pillars of rock. This may or may not be the most computer generated figures on the screen at one time in the history of the world, but I have to believe "300" offers the biggest piles of corpses we have ever seen. As if quantity was not enough to overwhelm the Spartans, Leonidas and his men are confronted by a towering Xerxes and a host of monstrous men and animals. The net result may well be the best comic book movie to date, despite the fact the hero is a historical figure and not a superhero. This adaptation plays up a subplot regarding what is happening back at Sparta while Leonidas and his body guard face annihilation as Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to play politics with Theron (Dominic West), who complains about the legitimacy of the king's actions rather than deal with the reality of a Persian army coming to crush Greece. But it is hard to care about such machinations in the face of the historical record and the fact that the drama is happening at Thermopylae and not back in Sparta. There are notes sounded about saving Greece from the Persians and civilization from the evils of Asian mysticism, but the legacy of the Spartans has nothing to do with their role in the development of democracy. Almost two millennium before the Alamo there was this story of a group of warriors that sacrifice their lives in a battle so that their people could win the war. The story of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae is that of the first great last stand.

While war and violence are morally wrong in the abstract human philosophies, shifting cultural sensibilities, and our (USA) pampered day to day existence, It is still part of who we are and it seeps out through our art into our society. We are the way God made us or how we evolved biologically, depending on your views. Either way, we are a violent species. Even if that is lost in the day to day world we live in, there is still an appetite for it. Our art, video games, TV, media, and films serve it up. Since the critics are not artists it is hard for some of them to see the truth of this film and many others released in recent years. Their tunnel vision, sour grapes, or just angry twisted lives make many of them compelled to spit vile upon anything visionary, or even just decent. I have grown tired of reading angry reviews where the reviewer writes as though he or she knows better and almost seems to pity us ignorant peons, lemmings, or what even the hell they consider us to be. Myself, my family, and my friends are not idiots and no where, except perhaps with people who rarely see films, are such conceited, self-important, and egotistic views represented by the people I know within the word I live. This film was great, pure and simple. It will be remembered as a great action film long after the drivel action of the day is forgotten. 300 holds you in it's grip from second one to the last scene. It is the sublime beauty of war that Joseph Campbell mentions in his works. Frank Miller has been an artist I have admired since I was a young boy. He has quietly been working away for the last several decades with no huge critical juggernaut coming down on him and suggesting he is pandering to any political dogma of the day. Now that the film is made, which is as close an adaptation as any author could hope for, the liberal critics are there, striking away at a work that spoke to Miller as a child. To suggest any political significance is reaching beyond ones wildest dreams. Real artists do not push political dogma, they represent what is in their soul and hearts. These news paper pandering nancy boys have nothing better to do than regurgitate hogwash in such a backwards fashion that even they themselves are just running in circles and making no real headway with what ever it is they think they should be doing to better this world. 300 is a film not a political movement. To criticize it as if it could convert people into middle East haters is just stupid. The Middle East and the USA do just fine gathering up enemies and haters all on their own. One small film, even one that would be an overt outright bash on either the East or the West would not sway the masses more than a drop in an ocean either way. To point out black and white racist overtones not intended is racist itself. As grand and spectacular as 300 is, it's still just entertainment for popular culture. It's stylized so much that to speak in terms of historical accuracy is just silly. Too many films of our times have passed themselves off as pseudo documentaries in order to effect some kind of cultural awakening or change when all they do is preach to the converted. Films are made in so many ways and varieties that it is just as amusing to watch the critics scramble between "Norbit" and "Flags of our Fathers" and all the while trying to maintain some level of intelligence rather than just reviewing films each on it's own merits for what it is and who it's trying to reach. Since so many films these days seem to annoy the critics I often wonder why they are film critics at all. They seem more suited to be writing angry complaint letters to companies about some busted back yard sprinkler. I want reviews, not angry critiques! Go away critics. You are not wanted. You are not needed. You are a sorry pitiful lot. A critique for the critics by a true film goer and viewer.

I thoroughly enjoy 300 every time I watch it, and there are not a lot of movies I watch multiple times. There are a lot of reasons for this and the first being a great story. It is also the best adaptation of a graphic novel I’ve seen and brings that look/feel to the movie medium very effectively. There is another reason I like this movie: Gerrard Butler in here looks very reminiscent of my long gone uncle Gerald who I miss terribly, especially his beard with great toothy smile. This film tells the story of the Greek battle of Thermopylae (aka the hot gates). It’s based on the graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller. I think each take some license from historical records to enhance the flow and interest of the story, but I think this is kept to a minimum. The film itself is very processed to give the viewer the feeling of a graphic novel come to life. I think this is a total success and is a part of the movie I really like. Also helping with the graphic novel feeling is the measured and precise use of slow motion and special effects. I’m think of when the Persian messenger falls down the well, when a Persian warrior has his leg severed, the Persian general is executed by Xerces or when Xerces is cut with a spear. A superb adaptation across mediums. It should be no surprise that I’m giving 300 Five stars. It’s a great movie that brings the feeling of a graphic novel to life in a better way than I’ve ever seen before. It does not hurt that the story is excellent and for me the resemblance of Gerard Butler to my dearly departed Uncle Gerald. It’s one of a small number of movies I can watch again and again. Excellent.

Great movie

I had this movie, on bluray, but had always wanted it in 4k. A, I was not disappointed, action came alive on the screen, well worth a look.

5 stelle per il film. Sono un amante dei fumetti e amo la traspodizione in film di questi, a maggior ragione se sono fatti in questa maniera vi entusiasmerete do sicuro!! La inquadrature, i colori, c'è un uso "astuto" di tutte le tecniche da farvi davvero vivere il fumetto. La storia è una delle mie preferite. E' un cult alla stregua de "Il Gladiatore" per intenderci. Forse un pò più "soft" complessivamente per via del vincolo al fumetto stesso - causa l'attinenza non solo alla storia ma anche alle sensazioni precise degli angoli e dei dettagli che vengono evidenziati quando si legge il fumetto- Vi piacerà. Fate conto di vedere una sola ed unica puntata col meglio delle serie di Spartacus. dietro le quinte in alta, che non capita spesso :) 4 Stelle per la qualità d'immagine perchè sì, si vede l'alta definizione, ma non eccessivamente e -forse per via dello stile- spesso c'è davvero troppo rumore non solo nello scuro/buio ma anche nella luce. Alcuni dicono la compressione ma io credo che sia lo stile deliberatamente voluto dal regista per focalizzare quello che il regista vuole far notare meglio. Non era un film "facile" da fare soprattutto per non schifare i fan che già conoscevano il fumetto. Per me merita assolutamente di essere visto anche per chi si vuole guardare un bel film "duro e crudo" di quei tempi. Non resterete delusi.

presa con gli sconti della festa di primavera a poco, solo bluray. Edizione splendida, una delle cover più belle io abbia mai visto.

Très bien un super film

Sí tiene doblaje latino (mexicano); y MUY BUENO, por cierto. El trabajo cinematográfico es excelente. Si te gusta el formato físico, es una excelente adquisición.