A ferocious battle comes to life with ‘300’, a movie unusual for more than just its name. A retelling of the ancient battle of Thermopylae, fought between 300 Spartan soldiers led by King Leonidas against the might of the million strong Persian forces under Xerxes, the movie is a must watch for more reasons than one.
Though the story line is a simple one and the result is probably a given, keeping the odds in mind, it’s the way the story has been recreated that makes all the difference.
King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) decides to take up the Persians, in order to preserve the dignity and the freedom of Sparta, preferring death to kneeling in front of the enemy.
All Spartan boys are trained to wage wars, right from childhood. The weak ones are discarded at birth so that only the strong and the mighty make up the ranks of the army.
What happens when a small army of 300 takes up Xerxes with his elephants, ninja type warriors and unearthly monsters, as they fight in unfriendly terrain, far from their homeland? Is it as easy as it seems or does Xerxes have to eat humble pie and resort to slyness and cunning in order to win against these braves? The movie has the answers in a breathtaking frame by frame unfolding of the drama.
Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, every frame of the movie is like a painting. The hues merge into one another and the special effects are so well integrated that they never stand out or jar. Instead, they take you to a land and clime forgotten with time, enlivening it and etching it in the mind forever.
Full marks to cinematographer Larry Fong and visual effects supervisor Chris Watts for their efforts. The distinct vision of this historic tale comes to life on screen leaving never a dull moment, right till the end. A must see indeed!