The 300 Spartans Movie Discussions:

[Artorius Maximus]

Hello, I have not seen the movie 300 yet, but I have created a thread for the purpose of discussing it. :beam:

So, I would you to vote in my poll, did you see it yet, Or not?

If you vote, please comment on it by posting.

Thank you, and God bless ye!

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Loved it so much I saw it yesterday and today. Great movie and better the second time. :2thumbsup:

[Ice]

I saw it tonight. I thought it was amazing. It wasn't to weird and over the top, but at the same time had a bit of a comic book feel mixed with realism.

[Samurai Waki]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. From a Pragmatic view it is certainly childish, but lets say from the view of a Roman, it made me want to watch a Gladiatorial Game.

The movie was never intended to be historical, or deep. There is no Character Development... but if you watch it how Frank Miller intended it to be watched, its fantastic.

300 is supposed to be watched like Someone telling you about how your favorite football team won the Championship. The mythos, and the awe inspiring bravery of the Spartan Soldier, who overcame tremendous odds. Even if those odds were...lets say, GREEEAAAAATTTTLLLLLYYYY overexaggerated.

The only thing that annoyed me about the whole film, was the Ninjas. Get rid of the Ninjas and it would've been even better.

[Csargo]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. From a Pragmatic view it is certainly childish, but lets say from the view of a Roman, it made me want to watch a Gladiatorial Game.

The movie was never intended to be historical, or deep. There is no Character Development... but if you watch it how Frank Miller intended it to be watched, its fantastic.

300 is supposed to be watched like Someone telling you about how your favorite football team won the Championship. The mythos, and the awe inspiring bravery of the Spartan Soldier, who overcame tremendous odds. Even if those odds were...lets say, GREEEAAAAATTTTLLLLLYYYY overexaggerated.

The only thing that annoyed me about the whole film, was the Ninjas. Get rid of the Ninjas and it would've been even better.

You noticed that too I see. It really annoyed me. All around it was a really good movie. I loved it. I could watch it over and over.

[ZombieFriedNuts]

It out?
Edit:Its out on the 30th in UK

[Arbaces]

Seen it today, voted for average, however I liked the speed metal parts of the soundtrack, the lightning :laugh4:... or I'd better say: ~;p ... :dizzy2: Though was originally made, I was expecting a little more then crappy monsters and black persians with Han chinese masks, and their king with post-apocalipyic Mad Max styled dressing. Honestly though, I can say I liked the actors and the general atmosphere, esspecially the love scenes :yes:. To conclude, the 1962 version was a little bit more closer to my taste.

Arbaces.

[Caerfanan]

Don't know, looks like the movie of a video game. I don't have much time to go to the movies, and this one should be 3th or 4th in the list: too far...

[Mooks]

Everyone at my school is talking about. Iv never heard a bad thing about it so far. But what I find interesting (kind of sad actually) is there is people believing that the 300 spartans killed up to 100,000 persians. I mean, intelligent people who make A's, actually thinking that 300 men could kill that many in real life.

[caspian]

The movie is stunning, every scene could be a wallpaper or a painting.

Problem is if you're with someone who has no idea about the time period, you'd have to explain the whole hoplite era to them after the movie. I ended up giving a history lesson up to Pyrrhus.

But overall the movie is great, its like Black Hawk Down: 90% of the movie is combat.

[Artorius Maximus]

The 300 Spartans plus their other Greek allies in the REAL Battle of Thermopylae only killed about 20,000 of the Persians, the rest of the 100,000 or so men routed the battle. In the movie 300, the battle statistics are different indeed!

[AntiochusIII]

the rest of the 100,000 or so men routed the battleErr, no they didn't. Quite the opposite: they won the battle.

I didn't see the movie and cannot judge it; but I have no intention to either. I go to the movies as rarely as it is, not sure why I should go out for something I probably won't like.

The last big Frank Miller flick, Sin City, isn't at all to my tastes. I went "wtf?" the whole time -- I knew it was supposed to be cheesy and have a point with superhero comics imitation and something else, but I couldn't seriously get myself to even think the whole thing is remotely serious. And I don't appreciate Tarantino and his "classic action" either. Thus I have grounds in my suspicion that the Hollywood "cheesy-with-a-point" thing just isn't for me.

[Zalmoxis]

Well, I haven't seen it yet, but some of my friends have and have recommended it to me, so I'm thinking of going next week.

[Caius]

I think I will watch it, I saw images and Its amazing

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Well I thought I was going to hate this movie. Looking at the traioers and thd stuff I thought it was a comic book version of the 300 Spartans. And thats pretty much what it is. But its so well done. Yes its a bit over the top but intentionally so. Its true art IMO. Ive got it on dvd an plan on watching it a few more times. I really love the part where he says "Spartans what is your proffession?" A very pleasant surprise.


The only thing that annoyed me about the whole film, was the Ninjas. Get rid of the Ninjas and it would've been even better.

What about all the strange creatures? Even the Immortals were deformed freaks under their masks.

[seireikhaan]

I HATED this movie. It is shallow and easily predictable. Plus the representations of the characters were way off. Leonidas didn't get pissed at the other greeks for leaving, he told them to retreat while he and the spartans held off Persia as long as possible. The traitors can be seen from a mile away.

My biggest problem though, is the fact that 300 is maybe the most biased movie I've ever seen. If not for the Athenian navy, the Spartans would've been immediately surrounded and destroyed. The only mention of Athens in the entire movie was Leonidas referring to them as pedophiles. It also does no justice to Persia at all. The movie portrayed Persia as evil, satanic overlords who conquered people just for the hell of it. In reality, Athens started the whole conflict, when they helped rebels burn the Persian city of Sardis to the ground. This led to Persia retaliating and being defeated at marathon. Xerxes then took the throne not long after and wanted revenge against ATHENS, not Sparta. He never sent the heads of decapitated kings to Sparta's front door to intimidate them. Sparta decided it was better to aid Athens rather than let Persia take them. I could go on, but I lastly want to mention that Sparta's population consisted mostly of slaves. The movie never once shows spartan slaves, after all, that would make them look less like the "good guys".

Oh, BTW, there were 6,000 greeks there, and 1,000 thracians actually stayed behind with the Spartans, so it wasn't even really a stand of the 300.

Ninjas? Do you guys mean the immortals? They weren't ninja's! They wore black outfits and a mask, that doesn't mean they were ninjas! Arggh, I better stop, I'm getting myself pissed just by writing about this movie.

[Geoffrey S]

I enjoyed it in its own way. Let's forget the historical inaccuracies; this isn't history. It looks spectacular and the choreography is excellent. Some of the scenes were the most fun I've watched in ages. It's an entirely mindless movie, true, but watch it with mates and you're well on your way to an entertaining evening (It is not my whip they fear, but my godliness... oh my goodness...). Only thing I found particularly annoying were the endless pauses, dramatic or not; take out the slo-mo and the movie would probably be half the length...

[seireikhaan]

It wasn't so much the fact that the movie was inaccurate. Unless the movie is a documentary, I expect some differences. It was the fact that everytime they lied it was just to make Sparta look better. And the fact that they took all objectivity out of the movie by portraying Persia as "evil" and Sparta as "good." That's what pissed me off.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

It was the fact that everytime they lied it was just to make Sparta look better. And the fact that they took all objectivity out of the movie by portraying Persia as "evil" and Sparta as "good." That's what pissed me off.


You seem to be missing the whole point. This movie is about good vs evil not Greece vs Persia. Its fantasy with a base in reality. The fight scenes were spectacular. The whole thing had an artsy feel to it. Like I said, I went into thinking man im going to hate this maovie. But it was all it was cracked up to be and more. There was never any pretense of historical accuracy. It was billed as a fantasy movie from the start. Its like saying Conan the Barbariian isnt historically correct. Frankly I was amazed at how much real histor was in there. Another thing. As has been mentioned this is supposed to be being told by a Greek who was there . What do you expect him to say?

[lancelot]

Ninjas? Do you guys mean the immortals? They weren't ninja's! They wore black outfits and a mask, that doesn't meant they were ninjas! Arggh, I better stop, I'm getting myself pissed just by writing about this movie.

I think that was a tongue in cheek reference to the immortals :yes:


Personally I thought the movie was entertaining but a couple of things bothered me- the heavy metal soundtrack (while good) was a bit out of place, the excess scenes in wheat fields were a bit too reminiscent of gladiator and the already mentioned 'free' sparta was a bit overdone for the historical purist in me. Also I felt the excessive use of freaks in the persian army was a bit much- what was that huge fat guy with the blade like arms all about??

And the immortals didnt seem particularly elite!

I thought the opening scenes of the fight, particularly the pushing and shoving were very well done and seemed quite realistically portrayed.

[JimBob]

This movie is not history! Its a legend. Do you get pissed at Homer because the Illiad doesn't tell the history exactly? This story is about good and evil, it just uses Thermopylae because as a society we know it. This is the poetic 'meaning' behind the myth and legend of the 300 Spartans without all the messy complicated thing that is reality.

[seireikhaan]

This movie is not history! Its a legend. Do you get pissed at Homer because the Illiad doesn't tell the history exactly? This story is about good and evil, it just uses Thermopylae because as a society we know it. This is the poetic 'meaning' behind the myth and legend of the 300 Spartans without all the messy complicated thing that is reality.

First of all, I wouldn't exactly call Thermopylae a legend since it did actually happen. JimBob, you must live in a different society than me, because I am one of about three or four people I know who know about Thermopylae. I am personally not big on poetic meanings and such. My problem is that, even though you guys realize that the movie is mostly fantasy, lots of people think the portrayals of some of the people and nations were close to accurate, which of course, most weren't. I don't get that mad at Homer because he was writing for a Greek audience, and therefore was of course going to twist details. 300's audience could potentially be nearly everyone. And was I the only person who noticed that captain eyepatch kept narrating the battle even after he had left? How could he have been telling the Senate how the battle ended when he wasn't there and (as far as we could tell) never got any briefing from a spy or scout?

Gawain, if the movie was supposed to be about good vs. evil, then they should have come up with their own scenario instead of just sticking good vs. evil into something that actually happened. Its the fact that they associated good vs evil into a situation in which there was clearly no "good" or "evil."

If this movie hadn't tried to blend itself with history and, instead, used characters that were original, then I would give it a pretty good rating. As most have said, the fighting was exciting, good choreography, and a few humorous moments thrown in.(I did like the apple) My only problem with the actual fighting is that limbs and heads don't quite slice off that cleanly, meaning the movie should have actually been bloodier than it already was. Other than that though, the fighting was good, and I especially liked the initial encounter when Sparta really fought in true phalanx form.

And sorry for the aggressiveness regarding the "ninjas". I was progressively getting more ill tempered as I typed. The response to you guys regarding that was unjustified.

[seireikhaan]

I enjoyed it in its own way. Let's forget the historical inaccuracies; this isn't history. It looks spectacular and the choreography is excellent. Some of the scenes were the most fun I've watched in ages. It's an entirely mindless movie, true, but watch it with mates and you're well on your way to an entertaining evening (It is not my whip they fear, but my godliness... oh my goodness...). Only thing I found particularly annoying were the endless pauses, dramatic or not; take out the slo-mo and the movie would probably be half the length...

Yeah, Xerxes was definitely a little too creepy. Not to mention that he had his hands on the back of Leonidas' shoulders when he said that. Plus that look on his face was ultra creepy as well. I thought for a second they were going to have Xerxes try to rape Leonidas right there on the spot.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Gawain, if the movie was supposed to be about good vs. evil, then they should have come up with their own scenario instead of just sticking good vs. evil into something that actually happened. Its the fact that they associated good vs evil into a situation in which there was clearly no "good" or "evil."


Why? Because you say so? Besides most westerners surely see the Spartans as the heros. I know I always have. Its the classic littleman vs bigman senario.


If this movie hadn't tried to blend itself with history and, instead, used characters that were original

Again the Persians were pretty much an army of monsters and freaks including Xerxes himself. Does anyone think thats how the Persians really were? They did portray him as magnanomous though in a strange sort of way :laugh4: The Persians were certainly original characters. Only the names remained the same or should I say the emperors name?

[seireikhaan]

Gawain, I would not neccessarily associate Spartans as heroes. I have issues calling slavemasters heroes. Were they brave? Yes. Were they great fighters? Yes. But when a culture's population consists mostly of slaves, I have difficulty in calling them "good" or "heroic."

Believe it or not, I have had many people ask me if people actually used rhinos in warfare. I've had people ask me if Persia actually had 2 million soldiers. I've had people ask me if Xerxes was really like that. These were genuine questions, people really weren't sure that it was fake. Part of it is the fact that the movie does portray a classic phalanx and the idea behind it. This makes people more inclined to believe some things that they didn't know for sure, since it makes the creators look like experts on the battle. And the characters weren't original, they had the same name, same affiliation, and same time period. They were altered, however, into what the creators wanted to portray.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I would not neccessarily associate Spartans as heroes. I have issues calling slavemasters heroes

This is what PC has gotten us.


But when a culture's population consists mostly of slaves, I have difficulty in calling them "good" or "heroic."


I didnt say they were. I said most people in the west think of them that way.


Believe it or not, I have had many people ask me if people actually used rhinos in warfare. I've had people ask me if Persia actually had 2 million soldiers. I've had people ask me if Xerxes was really like that. These were genuine questions, people really weren't sure that it was fake.

You must know a lot of morons.

Wow just checked your profile and your still in HS. Id like to say that explains it but in reality its a sad statement on the state of education in the US these days. In my day everyone cold tell you all about the 300 spartans. Of course their only a few years older than I.

[JimBob]

First of all, I wouldn't exactly call Thermopylae a legend since it did actually happen.
Do you get the concept of cultural mythology? George Washington and the apple tree, honest Abe, the battle of Gettysburg, Audrey Murphy, etc. Real people, real history, but as a society we distort the truth, which is messy, to tell some story that shows some kind of moral we have or lesson we want to teach. The Battle of Thermopylae has ascended to legendary status there is probably some grain of truth behind a lot of the Greek myths but over time they evolved into something simpler that made a point.


you must live in a different society than me, because I am one of about three or four people I know who know about Thermopylae.
Maybe we do, most people I know know about the three hundred Spartans. What they know gets summed up in the movie, because ta-da thats the cultural myth we've built around that.


My problem is that, even though you guys realize that the movie is mostly fantasy, lots of people think the portrayals of some of the people and nations were close to accurate, which of course, most weren't.
What does it matter? If someone thinks the Spartans are great cause they fought for freedom that's their choice. The Spartans held slaves, that person doesn't know that.


I don't get that mad at Homer because he was writing for a Greek audience, and therefore was of course going to twist details. 300's audience could potentially be nearly everyone.
Miller wrote for a Western audience of course he twisted it to fit our cultural heritage.


And was I the only person who noticed that captain eyepatch kept narrating the battle even after he had left? How could he have been telling the Senate how the battle ended when he wasn't there and (as far as we could tell) never got any briefing from a spy or scout?
That's the thing. Its a legend, they don't have to be true.

[Warmaster Horus]

I'm not sure I'm gonna go see it.
I heard it's for 18+ only. Except for some reason, here in France the rating is 12+.
Anyone agree with the french rating?

[Csargo]

I'm not sure I'm gonna go see it.
I heard it's for 18+ only. Except for some reason, here in France the rating is 12+.
Anyone agree with the french rating?

I guess French kids are more mature. :shrug:

[Warmaster Horus]

Not those at my school.
I guess I'll try it anyway. Does sound interesting.

[seireikhaan]

I guess I'll just summarize this. I'm not much a fan of making actual events "legends" just because we want it to sound better. That's my opinion on the matter, you don't have to agree with it and obviously I can't make you. And yes, that's my belief on other events too, such as Washington crossing the Delaware, Paul Revere's ride, Gettysburg, etc... The point of the question was whether or not we liked the movie. I didn't like it for mostly that reason. That, and when you intertwine legend with fact, it makes people more likely to believe lies, and I personally disagree with the statement that ignorance is bliss.

Oh, and BTW, my school does teach us about Thermopylae, the problem is most people simply don't care about history and forget about it as soon as they've taken the test. Also, they don't go into detail about it, they teach the basics about it and nothing more. Its not so much that the school is terrible, its that people just ignore the lesson and sleep during class.

[Warmaster Horus]

About school, the one thing I'll say, it's that the students lack the motivation required to learn correctly. Before, in primary school, practically everything seems interesting, but afterwards, well, it's not the same.

[Quintus Of Pompeii]

:gah: I dont know yet.

[Ragnor_Lodbrok]

I've seen it and it's just cheesy in all aspects. Kitschy special effects, colour filters, dialogue, fighting scenes and this whole field scence with Leonidas' wife. Oh and of course the really homoerotic equipment of the Spartans.

Has there ever been any serious intention to provide this film with a plot?

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Its not so much that the school is terrible, its that people just ignore the lesson and sleep during class.


Students are sleeping during class and you say your school isnt terrible? Oh my what have we come too?

[seireikhaan]

Students are sleeping during class and you say your school isnt terrible? Oh my what have we come too?

Never said it was good either.

[Martok]

I've seen it and it's just cheesy in all aspects. Kitschy special effects, colour filters, dialogue, fighting scenes and this whole field scence with Leonidas' wife. Oh and of course the really homoerotic equipment of the Spartans.

Has there ever been any serious intention to provide this film with a plot?
All good points -- indeed, they largely match up with my own post in the Movie Review thread. :yes:

My issues aren't so much that the film is woefully inaccurate -- as that's clearly obvious to anyone with even a smattering of knowledge about the events at Thermopylae (and I'm definitely no expert either) -- but that it's been depicted as a representation of the actual events, and that most people don't seem to realize that it's not. The Org is (sadly) one of the few places I know of where the majority of the people here are probably smart enough to realize the movie is more of a caricature than an accurate representation of the battle and the events leading up to it. Even my own father -- who I've always known to be a reasonably bright & educated fellow -- had never heard of Thermopylae until I told him about it.

Even more than all this, however, is the simple fact that I found 300 to be a bad movie. Crappy dialogue. Two-dimensional characters. Cheesy battle scenes and special effects. The whole thing was nothing more than eye candy, and not very good candy at that. It was Wal Mart-brand candy. :thumbsdown:

[Kekvit Irae]

News flash, folks. 300 is NOT based on the historical Thermopylae. It's a carbon copy of the Frank Miller's graphic novel. THAT is what is (VERY LOOSELY) based on the events at Thermopylae. :smash:

And now, for something different:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caaQ4VT9GY8
OUR BEES WILL BLOT OUT THE SUN!

[Crazed Rabbit]

That's a great video, thanks.

CR

[CountArach]

Even more than all this, however, is the simple fact that I found 300 to be a bad movie. Crappy dialogue. Two-dimensional characters. Cheesy battle scenes and special effects. The whole thing was nothing more than eye candy, and not very good candy at that. It was Wal Mart-brand candy.

:bow: Very good post.

Saw it today. I found the blood and violence to be cool. I hated the sheer ignorance of history that was present in the film. I know it is based on a grpahic novel, but still. Why couldn't the graphic novel be more hsitorically accurate? :wink:

Anyway I enjoyed it, but wont go back to re-watch it. I'll probably get the DVD, but only if I see it on special or something.

[Hepcat]

Well I get to laugh at my younger brother's poor organisational skills.

Him and all his friends went to see 300 tonight since it is the premiere night, but they went along without booking and expected to be able to buy their tickets 15 minutes before it started. :laugh4:

I am certain that my brother and all his friends don't know where Thermopylae is, let alone what happened there in 480 BC.

I would like to see it, though it'll probably not be for a while.