What I say about 300 – Part 3

And so the battle began. Wave after wave of Persians charged, Spartans holding their line and discipline. The huge number of Persians narrows into the foot of the cliff (scenes of the wolf and boy appear). No weapons were drawn yet, no bloodshed, merely shoving.

At the Captain’s command, Spartan spears forcefully thrust into the Persian front line. Row by row, the Persians fall, till the number was small enough for the Spartans to charge out. Driving them to the edge of a cliff, overlooking the Malian Gulf, the Persians have only 2 choices, to jump to his death, or die fighting. With the many beheadings and slashing and spearing, the bare bodies of the Spartans on the contrary were not bloodied at all. To say the least, I was very disappointed with the fact that such details were left out. Not that I like looking at blood, but it was just unrealistic. Furthermore, the Spartans were without breast plates. Leaving such details out is very appalling.

The story then goes back to Thermopylae. Predictably, Gorgo would be dishonored by Theron in her bid to gain the favor of the council to send reinforcements to her beloved…….Well, justice was still served as Gorgo killed Theron when he betrayed her. As Theron fell to the ground, Persian gold spilled, and the council convinced.

Back to the battlefield. Clumsy elephants, charging rhinoceros screeching to a halt right at the foot of Leonidas after a spear was hurled and embed in its skull. Sounds familiar or predictable? This movie has no novelty. Even if these scenes were originally written in this novel and someone had copied it for other movies, at least make it different.

Then there are the legendary Immortals. Again, these people were lepers, rotting flesh and skin behind the silver masks. The Immortals seemed to be just like any Persian army killed earlier. Is the movie suggesting that the Spartans and Arcadians were just to good or the Immortals were just ordinary? Besides, 300 did not even bother to study the details of what weapons and uniform the Immortals bore. In my opinion, the superior fighting skills of the Immortals were blunted by the narrow passage, so they fared no better than the previous waves of Persian hordes.

Captain’s son was slain, driving him into a state of madness……

As reports of Ephialtes revealing a path to the rear of the Greek army (in return for women and wealth), the Arcadians decided to take no further part in the war. Dilios was sent back to bear testimony of the sacrifice that the 298 + 1.

In their last stand, Xerxes again offered Leonidas wealth in return of the latter’s surrender. Leonidas dropped his bronze helmet, followed by his aspis and knelt before Xerxes. As he was seemingly dropping his spear, after repeated demands from a Persian general, Leonidas hurled his spear at Xerxes, narrowly missing his head but left a scar on his right cheek. Incest with Leonidas’ response, Xerxes ordered his army to destroy Leonidas and his 298 Spartan. Shower of arrows pouring in, killing all……..

As Leonidas breathed his last breathed and muttering of honor to die and fight with his captain blah blah, scenes of a grass field with Gorgo appeared. What apparently that looks like Leonidas has reach paradise and his wife (wait a minute, how did she die? Anyway looks like Gladiator) waiting for him….No it is actually Dilios conveying the message….

Yeah, so the sacrifice of 299 + 1 gave enough time for Greece to raise and army.

Verdict

Uninteresting movie. Poor emphasis on details.

Good attempt to depict the history of Battle of Thermopylae, but poor depiction of characters.