Hello all and welcome! I'm the Man Without A Plan, back with another movie review! Now, I haven't been active for a bit (college, work, money woes, life), and I've been itching to get back in the groove of things, so I don't wanna waste any time. What's on the slab this time? 300: Rise of an Empire.
Based on the Frank Miller graphic novels, the 300 series centers around the Greco-Persian Wars from 500 to 479 B.C. The first 300 film tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) leads 300 Spartans in defense of their homeland against Xerces and the Persian Empire, sacrificing their lives in the process.
The events of Rise of an Empire start in the middle of 300. Instead of the Spartans, the movie focuses on the Athenians, primarily the general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), who wishes to unite the city-states of Greece, presenting a strong naval front in hopes to repel the Persians.
300: Rise of an Empire differs from its predecessor. Athens and Sparta have one of history's greatest contrasts: Athens' reputation is one of democracy and discussion, Sparta's militant, a society quick to the draw, unwavering in their defense of total autonomy. Nowhere is the difference more present than in the comparison of our two leads. Leonidas is hot-blooded, idealistic, defiant. Themistokles, for the most part, subdues these qualities under cunning and careful diction. As a politician, he uses rhetoric to get the Athenian assembly to support the naval campaign. As a general, he develops strategies that make up for his fleet's lack of strength and size. As a result, the movie slows down, allowing strategy and discussion more time over emotional bursts of violence.
So is this change of pace a good thing? Yes...and no. It gives the film a bit of variety, keeping it from feeling like a total retread, however, the movie doesn't go all the way with the idea. Fans want a bloodbath, they want bombast, so this movie obliges. The action isn't bad, in fact, the slower camerawork allows us to see the choreography better. Every hit builds up to mini-payoffs before the big payoff; the movie's creativity shines in the battles' use of location and context. However, with the renewed focus on discussion, we get longer stretches in-between shorter battles. The movie, while 15 minutes shorter, than the original, ends up feeling about 40 longer (a fake cliffhanger doesn't help).
As of now, my feelings are mixed, but two words lift my opinion and spirits: Eva Green. She steals the show as Artemisia, Xerces' main general. Ruthless, insidious, bloodthirsty, and enjoying every second of it. This villain kept me glued to the screen every second she was on, intimidating and fascinating me more and more. Where many action films under-develop their antagonists, Artemisia carries her weight, almost getting more screen time than Themistokles. As much as she expresses rage, the movie allows moments of vulnerability which ends up having me empathize and to an extent, sympathize with her actions. We see her through joy, bloodlust, surprise, hatred. Unpredictable and menacing, Artemisia almost carries the movie singlehandedly. She's the best part of the entire movie.
300: Rise of an Empire ultimately leaves me without a concrete judgment. It's not as much epic, grand fun as the original, but there's enough here to justify its existence. The best I can say is, if you're a fan of the world 300 created and would like to see more of the war and the players involved, this movie does its job adequately. If you're a fan of 300's carnage and campy nature, this movie waters it down. It's a mixed opinion, but for me, I'm glad I saw it, and would like to see a sequel.
Thank you all once again for reading, I hope to get back on track with future reviews, but for now, I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.
300: Rise of an Empire trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Rzy7YqUVU
No comments:
Post a Comment