A Bit Off Topics But....

[Slug For A Butt]

I've just seen the film this weekend,
And I must say, I was impressed and horribly disappointed at the same time.
I knew before I went to see the film that it would be a travesty, just like Troy. But I had high hopes for it as a generic film. I was still disappointed overall.
Firstly: I think the Matrix style action is absolutely fantastic (although I have to wonder what a film has to do to earn an 18, R or <R18> these days). There is lots of slow motion gore and every woman is at some point showing off what she's got. The logic behind the film is very "Braveheart", which while being a bad thing is what people seem to go for these days.

Secondly: My wife and our two friends that saw it with us thought the film got really silly with 60ft tall elephants, men riding 10ft rhinos and horribly scarred Persians. I think this is where they really spoilt the film. Until that point, it was only classical history fans like me that had a problem with it. It just got silly.

Thirdly: Saying that they based it on a "comic of a film" of history does not excuse the director for the horrible disservice he has done to history. I think this was even worse than Troy (at least Troy didn't have the fantasy "LOTR" characters in it). I think this film is Hollywood at its worst. It is up there with Braveheart, Troy, U-571 etc in it's bastardisation of history.
From start to finish it is ahistorical... would a Spartan or any other hoplite throw his spear at someone? no... that was his weapon. The film is full of Spartans swashbuckling with swords, they only used them as a last resort. Did they fight in their red ceremonial capes? No... would you? Did they fight with their bare chests showing? No... would you? Was Ephialtes a cripple that turned against Sparta? No... he was a local goat s**gger that wanted the cash that all.
It was the Athenians that threw the Persians into a pit to find their"earth and water", Not Spartans.
And the biggest travesty of all is that this film is showing the Spartans and a few hillbilly friends defending against 1 million Persians. HORSESHIT!
The Spartans were in the minority even at the last stand, just as they were for the rest of the battle.
I could go on, but I won't.

Suffice to say this film is a high quality Matrix style romp. But it also an awful film. If only they had not tagged it on to history, it would have been much better.

@Mad Cat Mech. I doesn't matter how fast the man is in Phalanx. You don't have much space for manouevring in Phalanx. Phalanx soldiers fought in heavy armour compared to non Phalanx troops. That included greaves and breastplates, which is one of the reasons the Persians couldnt stand up to them head on.