Review: 300
As a movie, I’d only give it a 3.5/5. Now before you thrust me with your spear, hear me out. The script was only ok as well as the plot. It was very straight forward and simplistic. Not to say it’s bad but it was just alright. Even the characters didn’t have much depth to them. I felt like I didn’t really get to know Leonidas or any of the other Spartans. The characters in Sin City (by the same author) had depth, a back story and character that showed itself through their action. Even the locations had ‘character’ in Sin City. Leonidas seemed very one-dimensional – die for Sparta.
I would give it a 6/5 for pure action stand point. The Spartans were freakin’ ripped and they just man-handled the Persians. The fight sequences were great, but I wish they were longer. Compared to Gladiator in choreography, it seemed much simpler and not as intricate. But those Spartans were men.
Onto what I really loved about the movie. One of P.Min’s favorite movies is Saving Private Ryan because it depicts what happens when people who aren’t ready are sent into Spiritual War. I feel like this movie shows what it’s like to send people who are ready to fight into battle. One scene I really like: (script taken from the graphic novel).
Daxos: We expected Sparta’s commitment to at least match our own!
Leonidas: Doesn’t it? You there — Arcadian — what’s your profession?
Arcadian: I am a potter sir.
Leonidas: And you, Arcadian, what is your profession?
Arcadian: A sculptor sir.
Leonidas: And you?
Arcadian: A blacksmith.
…
Leonidas: Spartans! What is your profession?
Spartans give a war cry
Leonidas: You see old friend? I brought more soldiers than you did.
This exchange made me think of the verses:
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs?he wants to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3-4
Spartans were breed to be fighters. They were not involved in civilian affairs. This is what these verses talk about. Christians need to stay focused on the fight, not get entangled in all these worldly affairs. The Arcadians called anyone with a shield and sword a soldier but they were involved in the world and not skilled as soldiers. The Spartans’ primary identity were soldiers. I feel like many Christians dust off their Bible and go to church or even small group but their true identity, profession, is of the world. Too many Christians get caught up in civilian affairs and lose their kingdom focus. The Spartans had an undivided passion for fighting. In the same way, Christians should have an undivided passion for God and the advancement of his kingdom.
Leonidas to Ephialtes the Hunchback: Your father should’ve taught you how our Phalanx works. We fight as a single impenetrable unit. That’s the source of our strength. Each Spartan protects the man to his left. From thigh to neck with his shield. A single weak spot and the phalanx shatters. From thigh to neck, Ephialtes.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Each man in a phalanx, the Spartan fighting unit, not only protects himself but the men around them. As they fight together, they are impenetrable. Christians must be the same way. We don’t just watch out for ourselves. It’s not an individual thing but we fight together. There is power when we work together, synergy. As the Spartans fought, it was an incredible picture of unity.
Another awesome exchange:
Leonidas: Dilos. I trust that scratch hasn’t made you useless.
Dilos: Hardly my Lord, It’s just an eye. The gods saw fit to grace me with a spare.
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29.
The scenario doesn’t exactly fit the verse but they saw losing an eye in battle as expendable and would keep on fighting. In the same way, Christ calls us to cut off the things that hold us back, though we may feel they are as important to us as our eye. We should be willing to sacrifice such things for the greater purpose.
There were many other good analogies comparing the Spartan soldier to that of a Christian soldier. Definitely a movie worth watching for more than just the action and is something that could really be thought about.