300 (2007)

3/13/07

Movie: 300 (2007)
Setting: Greece; in um, ancient Greek times

Normally a movie like 300 is not something I would go and see, but I wanted to see a movie and that was what Mandy was gonna go see, so I went. 2007's first blockbuster contains a bizarre mix of eroticism (homo and straight), and neo-conservative politics. It is the political twinge of the film, more even then its sex and violence, that make 300 a largely repellent film (not to mention a ridiculous one). The Spartans were Greek Texans I suppose, not to blanket all citizens of the lone star state, but most readers know what I'm talking about. Sparta was a prideful and arbitrary society, one which liked to cloak things in a rhetoric of freedom and tradition, but ultimately contained little or nothing worth saving. I must admit that the movie has some pretty cool fight scenes, and the two or three minutes of film in which Gerard Butler is totally channeling Sean Connery just made me happy, but on the whole... Here's where I run into trouble, like some Texans, the Spartans can get one excited by, or at least deadened to, mass killing. While I hated the first half hour of the film, after that point I found myself enjoying it more and more. I can appreciate the film for what is (minus the politics) as action spectacle, but I simply can not respect 300 or recommend it. Gladiator this is not. What was with the goat musician?

Note: While filling my car up with gas after seeing this film I meet Tiffany the cologne sales lady. Best of luck getting that hotel room Tiffany.