Saw the movie today and found it disgusting. The depiction of Xerxes, one of the finest kings of Asia, as a joker is nothing short of sad. The persian civilisation that agve the world the first monotheistic religion, and advanced the known science and arts of that period to great heights [only to be later raped and pillaged by Alexander after defeating Darius, a great grandson of this same Xerxes], has been rendered into a kingdom of ogres in this movie. Its simply silly.
Aditya B On 28/03/07, S S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Movie review by Mike Sage <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-8823>, Peterborough This Week <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/source-1431> *300 is an erotic spectacle for men (straight and gay apparently) and this demographic should bask in the bombastic grandeur of discourse, domination and decapitations.* Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey and Dominic West; directed by Zack Snyder A rush of testosterone-fueled violence, drenched in blood & sweat (but no tears), Zack Snyder's 300 is a delicious triumph and the ultimate movie epic for men. This intense depiction of the Spartans and their infamous Battle of Thermopylae are rendered with about as much historical accuracy as an average episode of Xena: Warrior Princess%u2014as if it really matters. Snyder so absolutely nails the ferocity of the Spartan Way (and the spirit of Frank Miller's graphic novel for that matter), I couldn't imagine a more proper tribute. The plot of 300 isn't too complicated. In 480 BC, the Persian scourge under Xerxes threatens to conquer all of Greece. Spartan king Leonidas decides to delay the inevitable by leading a troop of 300 seasoned warriors for a standoff at Thermopylae, a narrow canyon where the Persians won't be able to take advantage of their numbers. The battle is planned as the ultimate sacrifice and each man will fight to the death for the taste of Persian blood. 300 is like a Biblical retelling of classical history, painted in larger-than-life brushstrokes. The Spartans are muscle-bound angelic superheroes, wielding spears and shields with deadly precision against the demonic troops of the giant demigod Xerxes. This villain is wonderfully depicted as a haughty dictator drag-queen, carried on a portable pyramid-throne by his orclike slaves while commanding a hodgepodge of Babylonian rejects, stampeding rhinos and unruly beasts in chains. Outside of a few allusions to noted fact (like the chilling abandonment of babies deemed too weak for Spartan military life), this is fable at its finest. Gerard Butler (Angie's hunky antithesis in Tomb Raider 2) is a grand casting choice as the über-brave King Leonidas, the very epitome of machismo. He commands as much authority as Russell Crowe did in Gladiator and rouses the sadistic warrior in all of us. If you don't end up cheering for his Spartans, cursing for the annihilation of those Persian dogs, then you bought a ticket for the wrong movie. While Leonidas leads the charge out of Sparta, it's up to his noble Queen Gorgo (the ravishing Lena Headey) to rally army support in the Senate and stave off the sinister plotting and lustful advances of toga-clad rival Theron (Dominic West). Without the physical might to command the political respect of Leonidas' men, Gorgo's position is tensely akin to her husband's: one against hundreds. As a side note, it's an odd thing when the lone woman of the cast wears the most concealing outfits. The chiseled bods of Spartan warriors fill every frame of this graphic novel adaptation, wearing only skimpy loincloths with red capes and full helmets. It's about as close as we'll ever get to theatrical gay pornography (without the sodomy) and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't turned on about 300 times before the credits rolled. Unsatisfied with simply putting his Adonis cast through buff-up boot camp to help look the part, Snyder slathers on the abs and pecs-defining paint like it's Geri Halliwell's music video for It's Raining Men. Yet somehow this actually bolsters their cocksure virility. These Spartans are fearsome warriors to the bone; the obvious presence of makeup only makes them godlier. If forced to nitpick, the meager narrator is definitely the weak link, who lacks the oral power to best relate this hostile tale. 300 isn't for everyone and makes no pretense otherwise. Women (and snooty film critics) who fall under the umbrella of sensible or sensitive probably won't appreciate the stylized impalings and chauvinistic relations of the one-track-minded Spartans. Even the sole lady in the story thinks and acts like the men, so don't go in thinking she's the obligatory love interest. 300 is an erotic spectacle for men (straight and gay apparently) and this demographic should bask in the bombastic grandeur of discourse, domination and decapitations. Rating: Four Stars and a half out of five Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/click/movie-1170203/reviews.php?critic=columns&sortby=default&page=7&rid=1605217 ------------------------------ Découvrez une nouvelle façon d'obtenir des réponses à toutes vos questions ! Profitez des connaissances, des opinions et des expériences des internautes sur Yahoo! Questions/Réponses<http://fr.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42054/*http://fr.answers.yahoo.com>.
-- Aditya Bondyopadhyay
