Better late than never I suppose, I finally saw 300 last night. I've been meaning to catch it for a while, but other things always seemed to get in the way. It was a bit slow in getting started, but when the battle scenes finally came, they were well worth it. I don't usually appreciate historic license, such as Mel Gibson often resorts to (Braveheart and The Patriot. Not to mention The Passion Of the Christ and Apocalypto), but in the case of 300 it merely added to the stunning visual banquet on offer. For the most part anyway, the central theme did run true to the historic narration.
I've often stated in the past, how I believe that every myth has at least a germ of truth in it, and modern people would rationalise the events of the Battle of Thermopylae and suppose that historians always exaggerated figures to lend greater credence to events, but there is little doubt that the battle happened, and pretty much as shown in the film (one would hope).
But, as I write this I see from some reviews that 300 hasn't been so warmly welcomed in the Middle-East, particularly by Iranians, in what was formerly Persia, who think the film is propaganda for action against them by the Americans. For me the film shouldn't be taken in a modern context, other than demonstrating that death is better than the loss of freedom, and in that respect it's us British and American citizens who are presently being subjugated by the constant withering away of our civil liberties. In the War On Terror, everyone must make a sacrifice for the New World Order!
