There are many references to Spartans when it comes to literature and nothing inspires me more than a casual chat with one of the Colonels I worked with, a chat on how he was trained in the Spartan’s way of life. Imagine this, an ancient military tradition more than 2,500 years ago still inspires the military training today. And when I heard that “300” is showing this year, my anticipation is high.
“300” is an adaptation of a graphic novel by Frank Miller who is famous for his film noir-style comic book stories (such as Daredevil, Batman, Sin City, and etc.). I find it hard to compare “300” with any ancient war movies I have watched. Its shot-for-shot adaptation makes it stands out as unique amongst others. I in especially fall in love with the battle sequence. It was like reading a comic book – each shot is a brilliant composition – in a sequential transition. I was prepared for lots of blood and gore and “300” certainly has plenty of it. At times I wonder if the movie industry is solely responsible in pushing the tolerance of the audience over the years.
The real gem of the movie, in my opinion, is the presentation of the essence of the Spartans through dialogues and path of actions – the essence of courage, bravery, honor, mastery of skills, and above all, respect. Their respect to women warms my heart though I am not sure if it comes from Spartan or the artistic freedom of the writer.
The Battle of Thermopylae led by King Leonidas, his 300 Spartans, and the Greece allies – a total army of just over 5,000 against 2.6 million Persian army is a historical event. “300” has some deviations from history but by and large follows it. For those who are interested in the history itself (like myself), follow the link to Wikipedia below.
“300” is definitely a movie worth watching. If you are a girl, imagine all the muscle men you get to see throughout the movie. All of them have 8 packs on their abdomens, I kid you not. As for me, the translucent image of the Oracle – a very pretty Spartan woman – dancing artistically to the smoke of incense is without doubt my favourite. Below is one of the movie trailers.
Further Reading: Battle of Thermopylae.