Posted on 03/28/2007 7:55:02 AM PDT by SmithL
When it comes to the offerings of Hollywood, rarely does a film resonate strongly with both mainstream America and the largely liberal world of film critics. For the two seem to inhabit different universes, particularly when it comes to depictions of patriotism, war, religion and the age-old struggle between good and evil.
When bad reviews and huge box office numbers coincide, the gulf between critics and audiences is laid bare. Such was the case with "The Passion of the Christ" and "National Treasure," both of which Americans flocked to see even as critics shook their heads in disbelief.
The unprecedented success of the recent film "300" is further evidence of this pattern. While critics have largely panned "300," Americans clearly haven't been listening. The film's opening weekend brought in $70 million, with all 57 of its early IMAX midnight showings selling out, making it the highest-grossing March opening ever and third-highest opening for an R-rated feature. And its box office numbers have remained high ever since.
Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller (of "Sin City" fame) and directed by Zack Snyder, "300" is a fictional recounting of the famous Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. The battle pitted King Leonidas and his bodyguard of 300 Spartans -- aided by the Thespians -- against the vast army of the Persian King Xerxes. Seeking to block the Persian army at a narrow mountain pass until Sparta and the rest of Greece could amass the will and forces to fight, the greatly outnumbered Spartan warriors used their superior fighting skills, bravery and determination to hold the "Hot Gates" to the last man. It was the Spartan sacrifice at Thermopylae...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
If you're a Christian, you may want to read some reviews before seeing it. Here are two:
http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0003125.cfm
http://movieguide.org/index.php?s=reviews&id=7399
Apparently there's a good deal of graphic sex and the violence is over the top.
Of course, this is America, and you're free to do what you want to do.
You're raisin' that boy right!
:-)
I saw it twice. Still haven't grown horns and a tail...
So the absolute dictators of the Persian Empire looking to subjugate new lands by slaughter and rapine were the "good guys" in your view?
Saw it. Loved it.
I'm not saying that the movie had to or even should have been 100% historically accurate.
But on paper, on film, or in history, while you may root for the Spartans because you want them to beat the Persians, you can't call them good guys.
Compared to the Persian invaders looking to enslave Greece? The Spartans were angels...
Amazing. For all the critisms you make, without Sparta, Greece as we know it would never have come into being, and all those other little details (democracy, etc.) wouldn't either. So easy even a caveman could get it. :)
The point is that neither the historical story of the battle at Thermopylae nor the ficitonal adaptation of it in '300' is about the "age-old struggle between good and evil". There aren't any good guys in this story, just guys who maybe are a smidge less ruthless and bent on forging an empire.
Sin City is pure trash.
Regardless of historical accuracy, anytime the Chronicle renders a poor rating to a movie, it's usually due to its self-loathing anything American and its "socially enlighted" anti-success viepoint. I will find worth watching those movies an enjoyable experience! Otherwise, the Chronicle will heap loads of praise on movies with perverted themes.
The next thing to do is to read Herodotus' version (his Histories) of the battle/events.
You will find may parallels between the two.
Molon Labe!
Not a single poster said "the Spartans were the good guys".
As to the question of WANTING the Spartans to beat the Persians. Who cares, people see what they want to see in movies..
This is a movie based on a COMIC book.
DMZ doesn't believe the liberals are getting their panties in a wad because he cannot google a review which states such. Baloney I say. Read "Sols" posts, know a liberal when you find them. This article itself is stating such, write the author and ask for his sources to support his assertion that the liberals hate it and America loves it.
Or you could search FR, it probably has half a dozen articles/reviews that have been posted here. The critics panned this movie, but the producer is laughing all the way to the bank.
34 for posts before someone actually made the point of the entire film......."Come and take them"....;)
With all due respect neither of these two reviews actually "get" the film. Superficial view at best.
The violence is there but it is stylized..not realistic at all...as are the scenes depicting sexuality *apart from the "rape" scene --and as we know the perp gets his just desserts).
Are you kidding me? Knowing Ancient Greek history and being able to differentiate a non-democratic city-state from an oligarchical one makes you a liberal?
Who woulda thunk?!
"Not a single poster said "the Spartans were the good guys"."
It's what the original article said. Age old battle between good and evil? Come on. And more than one person has said or implie that the Spartans were "free men" and had a democracy, which is absolutely hilarious.
Let me reiterate: this movie has predominantly good reviews. You can see this at rottentomatoes, which collects reviews from reviewers both large and small and from allover the political and apolitical spectrum.
Well...thanks...but I'm only one of many other freepers who have used that famous Spartan battle cry (lots of other posts besides this thread)
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