300

[curgoth]

I just got home from 300



I listened to the CBC's Jesse Wente's reviewthis morning, where he claims that "for all of its style, 300" is completely lacking in any substance".

I disagree. The movie was loaded with clear messages. Among them - real men are perfect and unblemished, and white. Good people only lust after their spouse. Evil defies traditional gender roles, has piercings and may even be lumpy or imperfect in some way. It fell short of having a crowd waving banners with "patriarchy" written on them, but only barely.

It's certainly enjoyable if you can avoid thinking about what it's saying. Lots of impressive fight scenes interspersed with bare breasts for variety. Testosterone is the primary theme of the film.

I haven't read the comic yet, but it doesn't seem out of line with Frank Miller's other work.

Also, Xerxes the evil god king appears to have been played by this guy

And finally - is anyone else getting tired of random orcs showing up in movies? It was glaring enough in King Kong, but it seemed pointless in 300.

Comments

[locus-ofcontrol.livejournal.com]

Well, that's a relief.

The comic is sweet! And here...but I'm not sad I missed the movie...Guess I'll stand by to rent / download this one.

[evilmonk.livejournal.com]

uhm... spartans were generally the antithesis of the athenians. i don't see any surprises there. they WERE a patriarchal testosterone powered society. they also didn't last all that long comparatively.

[nixtress.livejournal.com]

I read the comic a few weeks ago. The scenes I've seen in ads and teasers seem to have come straight out of the book, but from what you're saying the movie put a lot of emphasis on being hetero and wanting to bone your wife. the book only touched on that lightly.

unrelated, the book shows a lot of penis.

[curgoth]

So, the book then, is more cock, less rock? Maybe I *will* read it, then.

[curgoth]

Yes, but I found it anachronistically macho. At times they seemed more like a football team than a unit of warriors.

[curgoth]

It is pretty on the big screen, but yeah, it's not so impressive that it can't wait for video/download.

[ice-scratchin-b.livejournal.com]

I liked it. But I wasn't looking for hidden messages, I was just following the story.

[notshakespeare.livejournal.com]

Apparently Spartans only wear clothes when actually in battle. Every other moment involves hanging out nude.