300 (BD)

Movie / Show Details

Product Description

In this ferocious retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae based on the epic graphic novel by Sin City creator Frank Miller, King Xerxes of Persia (Rodrigo Santoro — Lost) amasses an army of hundreds of thousands, drawn from Asia and Africa, to invade and conquer the tiny, divided nation of Greece in 481 B.C. But when the advancing Persian forces enter the treacherous mountain pass of Thermopylae, they encounter Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler — The Phantom of the Opera) and his royal guard of soldiers numbering just 300. According to legend, their valor and sacrifice inspired all of Greece to unite against the Persian foe, planting the seeds of democracy and ushering in the Golden Age of Greece.With nonstop action and awe-inspiring visual effects, director Zack Snyder creates a breathtaking vision of one of history’s most legendary battles … and an epic tale of sacrifice and heroism.
Bonus Content:

Additional Scenes of the Traitorous Hunchback and Never-Before-Seen Giant Warriors (in High Def) Frank Miller’s Vision Realized on Film (in High Def) 300 Spartans – Fact Or Fiction?: The Shocking Life of a Spartan Revealed (in High Def) Who Were The Spartans?: How the Actors Built Their Characters Based on S partan Customs (in High Def) Webisodes: Go on Set with the Cast and Crew Commentary by Director Zack Snyder – and More!

Amazon.com

Like Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae. More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it’s not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller’s source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book’s images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered “bosses” if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn’t involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity–more female, less male–than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller’s work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. –David Horiuchi