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Natalie Ortiz Film, Mr. Kotrodimos December 9th, 2007

300: A MACHO MAN EPIC?

All the rippling muscles, over dramatic love story with no words and the ultimate struggle between good and evil made 300 every man’s dream movie. Gore, death, violence and hot women; what more could you ask for? But it was the plot, music/dialogue, and the visual setting is what really set 300 from every other historical action-drama, and made it the macho man’s dream movie. Taking a page from the creators of Troy, 300 recreates the story of King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan men at the battle of Thermopylae- an epic three day standstill between the Spartan city state and the Persian army. Using this plot, the movie 300 capitalized on the legend, and the many unknown facts surrounding the people and the battle itself. Taking liberty with the characters, the creators of 300 established a sexual-charged, silent love story between Leonidas and his queen. Pairing the love story with the strong and just Spartan King Leonidas against the debauch and tyrannical Xerxes; their relationship showed that despite their similarities for being war lords, their was little honor in Xerxes take over and clearly shows how Leonidas was the favorite of the two because he was more human and just. The movie used the battle at Thermopylae to show the Spartan’s as very human; they had loves, lives and emotions, though their culture limited the expression of these feelings verbally. The strong sexual over tones and fast paced, battle driven action of this movie helps move the plot along nicely, as it captivates your interest from the beginning scene. “THIS IS SPARTA” is one of the most famous movie quotes of the year, and Leonidas yells it with such strength and vigor, that you can’t help but feel as if you’re in the middle of the CG created Spartan city-state. The dialogue in the movie is witty, and sarcastic. The characters crack jokes about the possibility of death, and the looming prospect of their future. As the dialogue allows you to become closer to the battle-driven men in the film, it also helps you understand their mentalities. You do not simply look at either side as merely being soldiers; they are given personalities and stories that are delicately in twined, such as Leonidas and Gorgo, Xerxes and Leonidas, and Dilios. The music is faint, often simply giving foreshadow of the action to come. It is dark and pulsing as Xerxes rages over his continual losses, and upbeat and fast as the 300 rally together and continues to defeat army after army. The music and dialogue go hand in hand as they help create the atmosphere for every scene in the movie; it ranges from sensual and loving, to harsh and deadly. The visual appeal of 300 is hard to ignore. Based off of Frank Miller’s graphic novel, the movie itself is given the stark contrasts often found in the very novel it was taken from. The graphic novel appears to help make the characters seem out of this world, as if they are above you, and far away. The computer generated gore, blood, and spectacular fighting scenes are amazing, and keep you glued to your seat. The movie is very graphic, and you see the blood and facial expressions of the dead close up as it happens. You see each swing of their swords, each bead of blood as it falls from the body, and each grim facial expression as the soldiers move on to conquer someone else. You’re held captivated by the gorgeous backgrounds, and the physical appeal of all the characters, ranging from gorgeous to bizarre. This movie features beheading, sword play, the decapitation of hands, and the use of wild animals to kill others. The view of the film helped increase the appeal of the movie itself, and the computer generated effects help keep your interest piqued. The movie 300 is more than just sex scenes, hot bodies, and blood and bore, that is if you can look past the surface. The movie itself is an amazing piece of work, though highly masculine and macho in its message. Three hundred men stood against a million man army for three days; the movie itself glorifies the strength of the Spartan men and the glory of freedom.