300
Several years ago I attended a boxing match with some friends. I didn’t know quite what to expect and half wondered whether I would find my sensibilities too delicate for the gladiatorial spectacle. However, I needn’t have worried. Within minutes, all pretensions of being civilised evaporated and I was howling for blood with the rest of the crowd.
I had much the same trepidation about going to see 300, director Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C, where three hundred Spartans stood against the vastly superior numbers of the Persian army. But again, within minutes I was completely sucked into the thrillingly blood-soaked battles. Watching 300 is the modern day equivalent of watching the Roman games, and its popularity puts a magnifying glass on the unfortunate baser instincts of human nature, for which I must put my hands up and plead guilty.
Make no mistake – this is absolutely not for the faint of heart. Heads, limbs and other body parts are hacked are severed throughout. Blood splashes in all directions and the highly stylised violence will challenge even the hardiest viewer. This is not a film where warfare is depicted realistically, nor one that wants to say war is hell, but in fact the exact opposite. Indeed, 300 is so steeped in the courage of its militaristic convictions that one almost finds oneself nodding in agreement that gruesome death in battle is the highest possible honour.
It seems pointless to descend into sanctimonious ramblings about gratuitous violence (not to mention sex and nudity) when everything about this film is gratuitous. Subtlety, understatement and complexity are not to be found, yet the carnage is so overheated and intense that somehow it goes beyond the point of being gratuitous and seems to become art. Which makes sense, since this has the look and feel of the comic book on which it is based (much like the other Frank Miller adaptation, Sin City).
To be fair, there is a smidgeon of positive moral and spiritual content amid the severed limbs. A curious spiritual warfare allegory in a couple of scenes has Xerxes trying to tempt Spartan King Leonidas with untold riches if he would only bow to him, which has vague Biblical echoes of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by Satan. On a less spiritual note, it’s impossible not to admire the Spartans for their bravery and honour.
Although the acting is pretty much one-note, it’s a very good note. Gerard Butler is terrific as King Leonidas. Dominic West provides good support as Theron, Rodrigo Santoro makes a suitably odious King Xerxes, and as Dilios David Wenham’s performance and narration are both spot on. On the other hand Lena Headey doesn’t really have much of a chance to shine as Queen Gorgo, simply because the battle is so much more interesting than her boring subplot in which she tries and get the corrupt Sparta council to send in the army as back up.
It seems utterly redundant to say that this is a visually stunning film, art directed to within an inch of its life. The colour palette carefully matches that of the original comic, and the use of CGI has a deliberately larger-than-life feel. In places, one is even reminded of Sauron’s army in The Lord of the Rings since Xerxes has what appear to be orcs, trolls and giant elephants at his command. The sound effects and Hans Zimmer-esque music score (Tyler Bates) are surprisingly effective, and the end credit title sequence is superb.
Interestingly, the Iranian government have attacked this film because of its depiction of the ancient Persians. Given how 300 is clearly intended as an American right-wing fantasy (with immaculate Aryan warriors fighting dark skinned orc-like freaks), this offence is understandable, but I can’t say I particularly sympathise, especially since it is so removed from real life, and also given recent current events. Anyway, I doubt 300 will make anyone a racist – they’ll be on too much of a high from the adrenaline charged fights to read anything into it.
To summarise, if you’re even remotely squeamish, avoid 300 like the plague. If you’re a historian, you’ll be annoyed at the many liberties taken. If you’re looking for thought provoking drama look elsewhere. But whilst I can’t in good conscience recommend this to anyone, I also have to admit that, like the boxing match I attended, I enjoyed it immensely.
Simon Dillon, April 2007.
