300 the movie, liked it or hated it?

[Broken_Hero]

I watched it last Friday and I...to be brutally honest...I down right enjoyed the movie! I haven't read the graphic novel yet, but was the movie, that much different from the novel?

[semillama]

1. The movie is almost exactly like the GN

The only major difference is the subplow with Queen Gorgo was added for the movie. Like Sin City, 300 used the GN as a storyboard and did cinematic recreations of the panels from the graphic novel. They did such a good job with this that if you had read the GN before seeing the movie, you constantly flashed back in your head to the original image. When people talk about movies bringing a piece of literature to life, 300 embodies that better than any other movie I've seen, even better than Lord of the Rings, which for all its deviations from the novels, totally nailed Middle Earth in terms of visuals.

[Mojambo]

2. Liked it, didn't love it.

It didn't think it was revolutionary or special in any way.

The blurbs about how it's another Matrix were just silly.

It's a good solid flick. B-minus.

[semillama]

3. I think I liked it better than the graphic novel

simply for the art.

[CarbonDate]

4. I liked it a lot.

It's dangerous, though. I almost kicked my supervisor in the chest when I went back to work.

[Broken_Hero]

5. .......

:spray:

:D

[Orsino]

6. Liked it. Very silly...

...but as with Chronicles of Riddick, everyone keeps a straight face, anyway.

[Broken_Hero]

7. This, is SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........

:D


:hide:

[Orrex]

8. Watched it yesterday, really enjoyed it

One beef: the voiceover narration was waaaaaaaaay too much for me, despite the fact that Faramir did the VO. I know, I know; the GN is written that way, and that's fine for text. But onscreen it gets to be far too heavy-handed, even if we accept the device of a bard/tale-teller as spelled out in the plot.

IMO complaints about the unfavorable portrayal of Persians are kind of ridiculous. The story takes place so long ago that it might as well be 100% fiction, rather than 98%. However, I found the weird alteration of Xerxes' voice to be an annoying distraction and would rather have heard an actual speaker's voice, even if it were dubbed over the actor.

I felt that the performances were all well-matched to the story, and Leonidas in particular pegged the character as portrayed in the GN.

One other thing: this may be the first film I've ever seen that realistically portrayed the clash of two shield walls. Sure, it immediately erupts into 300 pockets of super-soldier Spartans killing dozens of Persians, but the initial contact was a refreshing change.

[semillama]

9. A recommendation:

If you liked the movie and graphic novel of 300, may I suggest Warren Ellis' Crecy? very much in the same vein but probably a lot more accurate.