Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.
A Post-9/11 world created an existential shift from urban decay being a focal point to an endless barrage of Anti-Muslim media and Hollywood pictures. While “300” was based on the historical Battle of Thermopylae, it’s a time capsule containing an example of America’s love for fascism and war.
In a very dramatic narration by David Wenham who’s cast as one of the lone survivors, he tells of the Spartans’ upbringing and their supremacist culture. From birth, Spartan babies are inspected and if they appeared to have any deformities, illness, or undesirable stature, they were discarded off a cliff like rubbish. When those deemed worthy to live are old enough to walk they’re forced to engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat. I read that bullying was a common method to build resilience and encourage violence. King Leonidas’ origin is shown in quick succession with him vanquishing a large wolf and returning to Sparta to claim the throne.
Years later, a Persian consulate enters Sparta carrying the heads of kings that were conquered in neighboring Greek cities. The consulate claims they are just surveying for “earth and water” but the dangling heads send King Leonidas (now a muscle-bound Gerard Butler) into a rage. With a screaming iconic quote that would launch a million memes, he bellows “THIS IS SPARTA” and kicks the entire group of Persians down a well that seems to be an endless abyss. After this diplomatic blunder, Leonidas climbs a mountain akin to the mythological Mt. Olympus. When he reaches the top, a luxurious open-air room contains the Council of Elders a group of pock-infested disgusting old men that rule over Sparta. The Council of elders’ approval is needed for an official declaration of war. This is not only historically accurate but very relevant. It seems since ancient Greece, old wealthy elites have kept a tight grip on their positions of power with our fates resting in their hands.
After a disturbing ceremony with a young intoxicated Oracle, Leonidas is warned about a bad omen and not to pursue the battle. Omens and Oracles be damned, the Spartans march off to war and enlist the help of some allied Arcadians, freed slaves, and other working-class citizens who aren’t professional soldiers. Next, there are some heavy-CGI action sequences involving a massive artistically imagined crucifixion and some Persian ships being battered by a swelling hurricane. After making camp the small Spartan army realizes just how outnumbered they are, the Persian tents and fires seem to stretch for an eternity.
The famous Battle of Thermopylae is underway after a Persian General exchanges threats with one of the Spartan Generals, Stelios (Michael Fassbender in a wonderfully cheeky performance). After more than words are exchanged, the outraged General yells, “Our arrows will blot out the Sun” to which Stelios replies, “then we will fight in the shade.” This quote is more or less historically accurate and quite hilarious. Historical context aside, the screenplay is more loyal to Frank Miller’s conservative fantasy. I read a recent interview that he’s regretted some of his anti-Muslim sentiments and portrayals but there’s no doubt of the visual racism on display with the Persians being large, dark, deformed beings. Whereas the Spartans are “Ubermensch” or a superior race of men, which feels like something created by Leni Riefenstahl. I could discuss the very obvious homoeroticism on display but to cover that topic according to historians, Spartans on their wedding nights preferred wives to dress or act like Men.
“300” is not a great film and there’s such an unquestionable dependence on CGI but historically and sociologically, it’s fascinating and insightful. Zack Snyder captures the battle tactics used by the Spartans with the nearly impenetrable phalanx where formed shields moved in any direction like a single armored rectangular unit. The action sequences where the phalanx is used to defend against overwhelming numbers and incoming waves of arrows are some of my favorites since that’s how the fighting actually occurred. Also, there was a citizen that betrayed the Spartans and they really did battle potentially around hundreds of thousands of Persian soldiers. Although, unsurprisingly, the story overlooks the Athenians who helped contain the Persian army with their navy on the Mediterranean Sea. I was reminded of how US history conveniently ignores other allies that drastically helped during multiple wars. Perhaps it’s just another case of how history can be used as a weapon rather than a memorable lesson.
Available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Digital October 6th
