300

In history we learn of the Battle of Thermopylae, and we learn of its one of history's greatest last stands. And a true tale of human spirit and determination and that anyone willing to fight for something to the very end, will be willing to fight to the death for it. There have been many movies and books writen about the battle and how it played out over the years and though this is not the most true to history version of the story, infact as historical record goes, its pretty far off, but its most definately the most fun to watch. The chaos of battle as it rages, the thrill of defiant battle, all of it! This is both the most manly movie I've seen in years and has the most visually pleasing images sence the final battle with the Orks in Lord Of the Rings: Return of the King, a masterpeace if there ever was one. It won't win any awards saddly given the whole stuffy nature of the oscar commity and all, but who gives a crap about them anyway, anyone that said The Departed was the best film made last year is wiggity whack on the black side jack.... word.

The story is told by Dilios, a Spartan soldier over a campfire who regails his friends and fellow soliders with the story of King Leonidas the brave and mighty king of sparta who rose up though a harsh life and became king through determination and never backing down. He is a strong, powerfull and respected king among the city states in the greek empire as well.

One day, a messanger is sent ahead of a persian army advancing into greece and demands the king pay tribute and swear to serve King Xerxes, a mad persian warlord who once had a straight of sea whipped for defying him (true story, not made up btw). The Spartian King is enraged, offended and insulted at this group before him demanding he bow down to another man and surrender his kingdom. His responce is to kick the messanger party into a massive spike bottomed pit screaming "this.. is... SPARTA!!". Following this, a meeting with The Oricle states that the spartians should not march to war against persa's armies. Still enraged Leonidas gathers 300 soliders and "goes for a walk with his personal bodyguards", they encounter others along the way that have heard of their quest and join them, they decide the place for their final stand is a narrow cliffed area called Thermopylae (the name means "Hot Gates" in exact translation). The 300 and their allies ready themselves for battle. And thats where the fun begins.

The story itself tells an interlacing of spirit, determination, defiance, betrayal, love, battle elephants and heads on sticks. There is alot of lovely shot action scenes that though take up most of the movie in some form or another, are not just blood, guts, arrows and swords for no real reason, this is a truly excellent take on battles and life and just what fire was inside the human soul in days long gone, as well as some really cool action lines that were infact true to the story as well. "Our arrows will blot out the sun" "then we shall fight in the shade" is a line thats been passed down from every version of this story going back to the very begining.

If you don't remember this story in history, or forgot how it ends and plan to see the movie, I won't spoil anymore of it for you, it is an incredable work of mordern movie magic and really should be seen to be loved for what it is, a historial movie hidden as an action movie that will inspire you to do so many things. Its really worth the ticket, so get off your butts and go see it.

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Laz