The Observer, March 9, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 20
Epic visually lush 300 first worthwhile film of 2007
Film today is still an art, but it also has grown into a multi-billion dollar commercial business. Selling a product obviously is the number one priority of production studios releasing a multi-million dollar film, yet usually the director and his/her team of creators on a film wish to establish their own mark on a film and give audiences something they have never seen before.
Credit needs to be given to the new technology and ambitious projects that are taken on by filmmakers in and out of Hollywood. Technological progress in film has a long and elaborate history, but perhaps one of the most prominent examples in recent film history is the dark Frank Miller work Sin City, which, after grossing over $160 million, paved the way for many young, talented filmmakers (and the studios that finance them) to realize that chances could be taken and audiences would respond to something fresh and unique.
300, which comes out this Friday, takes the precedent set by Sin City and runs away with the concept in a visual masterpiece that sits as a quality film as well.
In June 2004 Zach Snyder, director of the campy surprise remake hit Dawn of the Dead (2003), signed on with Warner Bros. to take on another film based on a Frank Miller graphic novel. The graphic novel penciled by Frank Miller was simply known as 300, based on the legendary Battle of Thermopylae, in which King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan soldiers resisted and heavily slaughtered the invading Persian army before being historically overwhelmed. The battle was immortalized in literature and pop culture for Leonidas' unwavering stance to defend his country and the zeal with which the soldiers fought, slaughtering thousands upon thousands of the Persian armies before all were killed.
300 is without a doubt visually beautiful. The coloring of the film is full of light and derives a historical, Mediterranean feel from its sepia tint, which is similar to the lighting and coloration of Gladiator. As for the performances, Rodrigo Santoro steals every single scene he is seen in as Persian King Xerxes I, standing remarkably tall, waxed, tanned, and donned in sparkling jewelry, makeup, blush, etc. The glamour of his attire transcends his performance, allowing him to truly become the ultimate prima donna king who thinks he is a God above all mortals. The strongest part of the film is its visual splendor and violent content. However, what allows the film to resonate above and beyond the silliness of say, Sin City, or the specific demographic appeal of Fight Club is the depth of the story and the quality of all the actors and actresses involved; take for example, the passion between King Leonidas and his stunning wife Queen Gorgo, played strongly by Lena Headey. Headey gives a quiet yet burning performance as the perfect match for the screaming, robust Leonidas, played effectively by Scottish musician and actor Gerard Butler. Both will certainly get more looks by studios after their work here in 300.
300 benefits from a great balance. Strong cinematography and visual splendor serve as the background of this film, yet the acting, music, and quirky humorous style common to Snyder films contribute wonderfully to the overall experience. One-liners elicit smirks from all members of an audience, appropriately poking fun at the common homosexuality and gender inequality of the time. Look especially for an apple-eating scene by King Leonidas as his men "clean up" the battlefield and comment. The entire audience was doubled over laughing.
Due to its originality, 300 has the potential to be another milestone for 21st century films, a model for films in the future to follow and talent to learn from. 300 should and almost certainly will be nominated for an Academy Award for its visual effects, but it is not without its faults. The grandiose monologues and soliloquies are a bit much at times; this is especially irking in the beginning before the action heats up. Yet the humor helps offset the belief that this film takes itself too seriously.
Viewers may hesitate to spend $8 to see a March movie, waiting instead for the April/May advent of summer blockbusters, but 300 truly stands asthe first great film of 2007, perhaps one of the year's best. The film looks like an art gallery and is something different from the common, formulaic action movie churned out yearly by major production studios and is worth any ticket price for a film lover or a casual theatre-goer. It looks like a comic book, sprawls like an epic, and watches like a winner.
