Stressed with midterms? Bullshit through that last essay on Friday afternoon and then release some aggression with "300," the latest Frank Miller graphic novel adaptation to hit the big screen. "300" takes the blood, breasts and flying limbs of Miller's "Sin City" and splashes it into a "Gladiator"-style story about the Battle of Thermopylae and the 300 Spartan warriors who took on the massive Persian army. It's not quite Shakespeare, but it provides a visceral thrill.
The best part about "300" is that it never drags in its 117-minute running time. It's not like the plot is particularly complex or anything -- it's basically a really violent underdog overcoming the odds story -- but the style is cool and director Zack Snyder keeps the action scenes coming. Those hoping for a story-driven epic along the lines of "Lord of the Rings" will likely be disappointed; "300" seems much more focused on providing viewers with an adrenaline rush.
"300" is based on actual Greek history, but is by no means a painstakingly accurate account. That is, unless there really was a majorly disfigured hunchback, a monster/executioner with big crab claws for arms and a bunch of "Lord of the Rings" orc-like creatures back then. Probably not, though. Well, maybe the crab-armed guy -- he seemed pretty legit.
The film is an adaptation of a graphic novel, so it's only natural that it emphasizes the visuals. Like "Sin City," "300" plays with color quite a bit. Scenes tend to limit the palate to just a few bold colors, and the colors emphasized vary throughout the movie. Though there are a lot of grays, the film is not nearly as black and white as "Sin City." There's also quite a bit of slow motion used in action scenes so viewers can really get a good look at the stylized gore.
Characters are not developed much more than one would expect from a comic, but that doesn't mean they're not likable. Lesser-known actor Gerard Butler has great charisma as King Leonidas, leader of the Spartan 300. Butler gives the character a sharp wit reminiscent of Sean Connery's James Bond (or maybe not so strange, considering Butler was born in Glasgow, Scotland). Lena Heady brings strength and beauty to Leonidas' queen and Rodrigo Santoro ("Lost") is a complete creepster as Persian leader Xerxes.
"300" should appeal to fans of "Sin City" and "Gladiator," and especially to those who thought "Kill Bill Vol. 1" was way better than "Vol. 2." It's not going to blow anyone away in terms of plot or dialogue, but it's a great escape that's certain to provide the perfect opening to a stress-free spring break.
