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300 Special Edition
Reviewed by: The Dweeb |
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Video: Widescreen 2.40:1 |
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Stereo, SPANISH: Dolby Digital 5.1, FRENCH: Dolby Digital 5.1 |
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DVD Features
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Plot synopsis:Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army.
Frank Millers latest film adaptation 300 may be short on substance, but gets high marks for the visual orgy that unfolds on screen. Like its digital predecessors before it, Zack Snyder and crew successfully managed to integrate live action and a digital environment to render a film that is jaw droppingly gorgeous to watch. This is the ultimate guy movie; beautiful cinematography, exquisite costume design, a soaring soundtrack that is a mix of symphony and heavy metal, little dialogue and some of the most over the top violent imagery that puts Gladiator to shame. Never mind the lack of narrative, just look at that picture! One thing is for certain, after 2 hours of watching these guys duke it out in speedos and capes, you realize what an out of shape slob you are. Get off the couch and get on that Bowflex!
I have read many complaints online when the movie first came out that this is another typical action flick with no substance. In most cases I would have to agree, but in this film that is the point isn’t it? Its all about the 300 Spartans who showed up to kick some Persian ass. And no, this is not supposed to be historically accurate obviously, its based on a comic book after all. Lets not waste any more time here, bring on the next wave! In this film it just builds and builds, wave after wave getting more outlandish by the minute. It is so over the top that its fun to watch. It is a visual bloodbath, more talking just wastes time.
A majority of the dialog is told by the narrator, who turns out to be Dilios (David Wenham) the lone surviving Spartan. Initially you think he is talking to the audience, but it turns out it is another rousing pep talk to Spartan army just before the final push to remove the Persians from Greece. Again, just more exposition. Actually some of the dialog is hard to follow, especially by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), seems like he has a mush mouth problem. You would think that if can massage the picture to be perfect, how about his voice?
As I said before, visually this film is stunning. Actually it is the star of the movie, the colors, the crispness and superior visual effects give that sense of ‘comic bookiness’. Uh I just invented a word there. Its just damn cool looking okay? If you have an aversion to blood splattering everywhere, limbs taking flight and bodies piled up 2 stories then avoid this movie. If you want to watch toned men in underwear kick some serious arse to heavy metal riffs then this movie is for you.
The second disc with the extra content is no slouch either. Annoyingly it does autorun with some trailers for hi def (featuring both formats by the way) that I couldn't help but watch and drool. So after peeling myself away from that I dug into a lot of meaty content on here. There is a lengthy piece discussing the historical events versus the comic book versus the film, quite interesting actually. There are a couple of other featurettes exploring the background to this story and then of course all the usual trappings. I do like the fact they also crammed on all the webisodes that were released prior to the movie coming out. And if you want to know how to get abs like these guys, its on here too. Anyone have a truck tire laying around I can throw?
So to put it bluntly, 300 kicks ass, lots of it!
Reviewer's Opinion: BUY IT!!
