300

Here's another LookingForClues movie review; this time it's for 300, a story about ancient Greek warriors! Haven't seen it? Buy your own copy. It's out on DVD - Own it now! Plot Synopsis: The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge. Please read our review of 300, below. To own your own copy of the movie, please click on this ad, or click on one of the other DVDs for sale at Amazon.com.

300's Time To Shine by Lynda Rey    10/24/07 I admit, I am rather clueless about the histories or origins of many a movie out there, maybe even all of them. Hardly ever do I know where they come from, if from anywhere at all. How am I to know if what I'm seeing is the way it was meant to be? Though I'm not proud of such a fact, I'm not ashamed either. Many times, though, I feel like being a general moviegoer puts me at an advantage over the people who are fans of a story before it even makes it onto the big screen. I'm at a better position for truly falling in love with the film being presented to me without being overly critical about what's right or wrong about it. And when it comes to "300," all I knew of it was that it originated from a novel I had never read, nor barely knew of its existence. So then came the debut of this movie called "300" on the big screen. I remember seeing the first trailer of it back in the day thinking, "Three-hundred what?" The title that consisted of just a mere number baffled me. However, the trailer itself was enough to appease my appetite for the newest would-be legendary film in the making, no matter how mysterious it was. There were soldiers. There was fighting. You can't really go wrong with that particular combination. But best of all, there was, what appeared to be, some incredibly glorious cinematography. I had absolutely no clue what sort of ride I'd be in for once I took part in the experience. I had no previous knowledge of the film, and no idea where it came from. It was, to me, something that literally popped out of nowhere, an almost in-your-face sort of presence I couldn't possibly ignore. But I didn't care that I didn't know anything about it. I embraced the newness of the whole thing. Though it took some getting used to, I learned to accept it before all-out loving it. This movie had what I so rarely see in movies nowadays, and yet, I wouldn't have wanted to see its unique traits in any other film. It had something all its own that stood out from everything else I had seen, and that fact alone made it that much more memorable. What traits, you ask? One look at that movie and it's quite obvious the overall look of the thing. Though we've seen one of the past movies by the same creators, titled "Sin City," this one was still unique. Truly, I remember the first time I saw this movie, one of my main thoughts that ceased to stop was just how visually stunning it was. It has a classic feel, almost as if I was watching a movie from long ago. But at the same time, it felt as if I had stepped foot into a painting come to life. They are just so vivid, those colors. I don't know, perhaps it was the artist in me talking. As a sketch artist, I find myself getting a bit envious of how anyone can manage to spill colors and blend them together so well, be it on paper, or on screen. I only wish I had that same eye when I express myself in art form. Unfortunately, I don't have that knack, so I end up wallowing in what others can present to me. And I must say, the creators of this "300" surely have earned my praise for their job well done on just the mere look of the film. I could spend all day dizzying you with my raves about the visuals and colors and cinematography, because this alone made the movie so rich for me. But I cannot speak for all my other fellow moviegoers out there. There are still the other worthwhile goodies to be had in this entertaining film. The acting is superb, and the plot was even better. As mentioned earlier, I have no prior knowledge of the 300 Spartans. I cannot say with any certainty what was accurate and what was not. But either way, I still found the plot to be flawless and engaging. It tells the tale of a brave and fearless king named Leonidas (played to eerie perfection by Gerard Butler) and his 300 Spartan soldiers who fought mercilessly and relentlessly against numerous armies lead by Xerxes, (Rodrigo Santoro) that greatly outnumbered their own. But their courage and unbreakable bond with each other wraps you and makes you believe that their fight will not be in vain. Just witnessing the brutal training the Spartans go through is proof enough of their intense strength. This movie portrayed that strength so well, the strength of 300 soldiers who have no fear and who never give up no matter what the odds. And they do so with the most pure of intentions: to protect their way of life. Obviously, though, a movie about Spartan soldiers wielding swords and spears is not void of violence, and "300" certainly has its fair share of such. Though there are more than a handful of scenes that can leave a knot in your throat, there are many more that are obviously meant to add to the "flavor" of the film being that aforementioned painting come to life. Much of the gore is animated, as if to show the intensity of the battles, but not so much to gross out the audience. And it may be odd to say, but I appreciated that fact. As far as the DVD, it's thankfully stuffed nicely with many cool features to play with, and consists of two discs to accommodate them. Most noticeable are the features dedicated to the knowledge of the Spartan soldiers, the truth to their ways of life, as well as the cast's work in bringing them to life properly. All in all, this is a very awesome film, worthy of any collection, especially of those who have a fondness for undeniable eye candy. Lynda is 25 years old, lives in Indiana, and hopes to one day pursue a career working with animals. She enjoys many forms of self-expression, including art, poetry, and writing, which is one of the latter additions to her list of hobbies. Comments

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