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Frank Miller's 300

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Critical opinion of the film is rising and it's becoming much more favourable. Most of the negative reviews I've seen are more concerned modern politics rather than the film itself. It seems that most people simply can't watch the film without tying it in to modern events, which is a shame.

 

I'll say it again- AWESOME MOVIE.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it AoS! I probably won't be able to catch it in the cinema, but I'll definately be getting it on DVD.

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I have to say that I wasn't blown away. While I liked about a nanosecond of the actual phalanx fighting and there were some comely actors, the overall movie was pretty dumb: the characters were two-dimensional, the conflicts were canned, and the anachronisms probably outnumbered the authentic historical references by about two to one. There was a theme of 'freedom vs not' buried in there someplace, but why we should have heard the loudest yelps of liberty from the drivers of helots is beyond me. On the other hand, if you want a fun popcorn movie and have a healthy ability to project values where none exist, you'll have a grand time.

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Usually I'm not all that concerned with historical accuracy, especially with a movie that is so manifestly ahistorical. But what I find disturbing about the movie (which I didn't watch and I'm basing my opinion on what I heard about it) is glorification of Sparta and all it stands for - militarism and isolationism gone horribly wrong, sheer contempt for life and glorification of death.

I give my thanks to Sparta for saving Greek civilization (though I am not sure how important Thermopylae really was), but aren't they really ancient version of Nazi?

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I don't have much sympathy for Spartan society, but I think we can nonetheless admire the heroism of people who fought and died in a hopeless battle for their country (or, rather, their city). To delay a much larger army for three days is no small feat.

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But considering that the Spartans were trained and lived for this type of glory, I wonder how much of sacrifice and heroism this was for them. Theirs is a different kind of heroism from those who enjoy life and do not value glorious death as much but still fight against desperate odds.

Plus, the worship of perfect body in the movie reminds me of Sontag's take on fascism of Leni Riefenstahl.

Besides, I have nothing against physical courage or heroism in itself, but I find that it often serves as a smokescreen for anti-intellectualism.

Edited by theilian

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About the only historically accurate thing in there was when the phalanx simultaniously pushed back the enemy and stabbed them. I went to have a good time with my friends, not to pretend that this movie was going to do historical justice...

 

Although I tried not to think and just take in the cinematics, I couldn't help but notice the tying in to modern times in the aforementioned topics...

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It seems that most people simply can't watch the film without tying it in to modern events, which is a shame.

 

 

Why a shame? Movies - or any kind of story, really - should make you think. If you have to put your mind on hold and "block" all the messages oozing out between the lines because they are patently vile and false, its not much of a story, in my opinion. A good story makes you think, encourages you to think, and though sometimes the messages might be disturbing, they should also be uplifting and inspiring.

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What exactly are the modern parallels that are allegedly conveyed through the movie? George Bush is the Great King? Iraqis are the freedom loving Greeks? Car bomb manufacturing militias are the Spartan 300?

 

On second thought, don't answer that. If there is any hidden message I really don't want to know. Not in the mood for another rousing thread on modern geopolitics that will have to be moved to the Arena.

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Although I tried not to think and just take in the cinematics...

 

 

 

Cogito ergo sum

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Found this conversation in another forum, and it was too funny not to share:

 

EW also has a Q&A with Frank Miller here about his work on the graphic novel.

 

Has there been any talk of creating a sequel if 300 does well?

There is another story that would make a perfect bookend to this. I know what it would be. It's at the earliest stages. But I ain't gonna go into it now.

 

Ah yes, I can see it now. Frank Miller's Socrates, wherein a totally ripped Socrates slays foes, with extreme prejudice, in the First Peloponnesian War. Later, disillusioned with the Athenian ideals for which he once fought, Socrates turns to a life of sophistry, only to slay Antiphon, and Cratylus after a bitter argument. Distraught over his expulsion from the greeknit underground, Socrates slices a path of moral mayhem, leaving a wake of severed conclusions and decimated premises in his wake. Placed on trial for his crimes against good, common sense, Socrates surprises all of Greece, when after raping and slaying his entire citizen tribunal, he drowns himself in a vat of the hemlock-laced blood of his victims.

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That was hilarious! :ph34r: Thank you for sharing.

 

I wonder what Socrates would make of that.

 

It would be great to see him going on rampage, destroying philosophies and morals as well as skulls. Tom Cruise would probably volunteer for the job, seeing as it would give him a chance to do his fight scenes, as well as a podium to spout his ideas.

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I still think the style of the movie would have been better suited for a different interpretation of the Iliad.

 

Imagine Achilles Rage... That would have worked out great.

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I still think the style of the movie would have been better suited for a different interpretation of the Iliad.

 

Imagine Achilles Rage... That would have worked out great.

 

 

Now THAT I would've loved to see...

 

 

 

Speaking of the movie... I went in with friends knowing full well there's about as much accuracy in it as penny dropped from a roof. I wanted to be entertained, and I felt like I was being shoveled the same crap every couple of seconds with over the top scenes and forced acting. After a while, all the cries of this and that get old, the single spartan taking on an army in slow motion gets old, and the video game style gets old. I found myself watching my watch several times hoping it would end... I prayed that the story they gave us was worth the blood and guts but it wasn't and insulting to human intelligence I think. Historical accuracy, political propaganda all aside, the movie was terrible. If they did not have the special effects, this would be hailed as one of the worst things to air on the screen...

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Is it really our fault the nicely clothed, 'I'm going to overwhelm you with sheer numbers' Persians lost? The Spartans did something rare in beating back all those Persians wave after wave. They knew they were going to die and they did one heck of a job.

 

I'm going to see it. :whistling:

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