300 (2006)

Well, did I enjoy it ? Yes, I did. Do I think it is a great movie ? No, I don't. It was enjoyable in the same way that SIN CITY was enjoyable. The problem for me, maybe, is that I'm just not a big comic book/graphic novel fan and however technically brilliant these films may be I really see nothing beneath the surface. It may well be that Frank Miller and Zack Snyder have no intention of giving any depth to the story (and I really am a sucker for last stand stories like ZULU or THE ALAMO) but even if they did the computer enhanced images mitigate against it - whatever is they do it will always be a comic book movie - but as such it is good fun. Years back I predicted that we would one day be seeing new movies starring people like Humphrey Bogart or computerised realistic facsimiles of them and this film and others like SIN CITY or BEOWULF certainly point in that direction. If they can do it with live actors it won't belong before they do it with the dead. They can be fun entertainment (and there is always room for that) but behind the almost robotic acting there is no soul. Rating ***

Mister Monster writes :

Yes , I always LOVED to see men in skirts running around and lopping arms off.....even if computer generated !!I agree , not much of a film ...and I would have RATHER seen 300 SPARTANS again anyway on the BIG screen , but sometimes just pure entertainment is worth the $9.00

Weaverman says :

Just knew you'd love watching this one, Mister Monster! I agree that 300 SPARTANS is a better film although I have to admit that it took 300 to make me realise it! But I don't want to distract from the new film's entertainment value. I hear that Iran got upset at the way their ancestors were depicted - they should try being English and watching Mel Gibson films!