Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Mark Stone]

Has anyone seen the movie 300? I'm curious what people think, and whether -- understanding that this is Hollywood, after all -- the history is reasonable.


-Mark Stone

[Noel White]

I posted comments about 300 on another forum a while ago.

I really enjoyed it.

The history, even with the parts pinched from Herodotus, is quite silly. Don't go and expect to learn much about Spartan military tactics, complex political situations in greece, or anything about Persia.
---- Just what you'd expect from a comic book.

The morality of the story is repellant, and you won't learn anything about how to make a better life or solve problems (or even think about them) throughout the melodrama, or wooden characters.
---- Just like reading a comic book.

The visuals are amazing. Every frame was a work of art. The oracle, the helmets/shields -- all gorgeous. All the combat scenes are staged around a few perfect poses. Nothing is actually real, not even the actors' chests, or even the sky. The Spartans look really cool. That is the point, after all. ---- Just like reading a comic book.

I think it is a poor way to do history, but a great (the best so far) way of doing comic book heros. So much better than Batman, Spiderman, Superman, the Hulk etc....

Go see it, especially if you like comics.
Noel.

[Bill Chriss]

I have not seen it, Mark, but from all reports, when I do I will agree with Noel. Very cogent summary.

[Peter Celella]

There is one scene where the Spartan hoplites are preparing for and receiving a charge in their phalanx formation that is excellent, but they go on to ruin it later with a bunch of Hollywood style loose order fighting. But if you go in expecting a mythologized version of a historical event, it really is a bunch of fun.