Movie Review for "300"

Movie trailer for "300"




Movie Review for "300"
by Robert G Parent

The Movie was visually stunning. It didn't have special effects like science fiction movies that I like to see, however; the visual/special effects were wonderful. All the lighting effects come together in a feast for the eyes -- the lighting, the special effects, the battle scenes, the costumes of the monsters.

This movie was about an epic battle in the history of our world where the people of the time got a taste of freedom. Its poetic nature tied that moment and this moment together. This movie came at the right time for us to remember that every once in awhile a threat to our freedoms come. And in order for us to keep our freedom, we need to defend that freedom by those who would want to keep us as slaves. All the elements to the movie added to the poetic-ness of the movie -- the acting, the visual effects, the dialog, and the music. One layer helped the other layers to be savored like a good sandwich. There is even a wisdom that flows throughout the movie.

The dialog was a mix, or mash-up, of a narrator, dialog, the lines, the writing style. You could have closed your eyes and listened to the movie and still understand the story. Or a poet could get up and read the lines, dialog, of this epic to a crowd of people. The words were just "tasty" and very expressive, very real.

I also saw how the movie relates to what is going on in the world at this time and is what this country needs at this time of tribulation. As we are today, on many levels, fighting for our freedom. They, as us, have a choice to be passive slaves or strong, loving free men. Of course, there is a cost to being free men, which was shown in the movie in a variety of ways. This movie shows, just like now, the difference between being a slave or free men and that free men fighting for the idea of freedom will always win out over slaves being whipped by the propaganda of their masters for the good of their masters and not the good of the whole. I just want to add a separate note here. If the terrorists truely had a message, they could talk about it using the tools we all enjoy -- the Internet, computers, and blogging software. But the message they show the world is through their actions -- the message of Power, Anger, Fear, Aggression, these are the path of the Dark Side. Every so often in history there is a group of people that try to control everyone in the world and hold onto the old ways of thinking, doing, or being. But when that happens another group of people rise up protecting the idea of freedom and the truth of change.

The visual effects just added to the poetic feeling. The sunsets and sunrises, the fog, the lighting all added to the feeling of a magical time just before a major change in the way of thinking, doing, or being. Again, its like the time that we live in now. This is also a magical time before major changes that are trying to take place, to manifest. All the clues that we are entering a new age are there if we are willing to see them. Change is happening and that is why there is a lot of tribulation in the world of modern time. Different ways of thinking, of doing, of being are entering our consciousness. And there are a lot of people still holding onto the old ways of thinking, of doing, and being.

I have to get the soundtrack. The music added to the whole feeing behind the poetic-ness. As the scenes, the action, and the dialog played, they played the right music to enhance the feelings trying to be expressed on the screen.

I think the movie was better than the "Matrix" movies. I loved the Matrix movies, mostly for the martial arts and new age philosophies. The dialog though in the Matrix movies between the everyday characters was not as inspiring as in "300." In "300", the dialog had more real wisdom between all characters. The Matrix movies were more flashy. I mean the Burley Brawl, where all the Agent Smiths were coming at Neo was awesome. But the battle scene with 300 Spartans willing to live and die for freedom, to take on, at this time, the biggest army in the world, the :Persians, who used all sorts of tricks to win is awesome squared.


I don't know if it was intended by the writers, but I also see Sparta like the United States ( maybe it just my mind making connections ). But I see its like the United States in this new age, a new freedom is coming into this world at this time. In the movie, the battle was not only on the battle field but in the polical arena with their own political warriors. The movie also had a charcter, a deformed Spartan, who is a poetic element because he choose or was persuaded by the power and glory instead of the new freedom coming into the world. Putting that character into the movie added another flavor to the experience of the movie. A character who would rather go the path of least resistence, the path of comfort other than fighting for the new idea. In many ways, people take for granted the freedom we enjoy. I think we should be thankful for this freedom and fight even harder for it and all those who decide to want it as well.

Some extra thoughts I want to add about the movie. The movie was violent, obviously being about an epic battle for freedom. If you don't like to see blood, body parts, and cinema boobies, then this movie is not for you. However, I don't see any wrong with showing all these things. All those elements add to the whole experience, poetic-ness of the movie. Poems have been written about battle, about love, about boobies, about passionate love. The love scene in the movie was very passionate -- I could feel it. The reason I think the movie is poetic is because it had all the poetic elements to it, very visceral, very real. Poetry is all about the real, no matter what your style of poetry, including mine about the soul or the unseen around us. There is realness there, real experiences about life. Poetry is about life.

My overall movie experience was awesome. The movie had all the elements to a successful movie -- the dialog, good acting, visual effects, the music. Everything was layered to be savored like a good meal for the soul.

This is not the format of the last movie review, but I think you know now how I feel about this movie. Some more things I want to add, the movie theater was packed full when I went. I've also been hearing about people seeing the movie six and seven times. i've also heard that there is conterversy about the movie. I have not the time to look into this contervsy but if its on the web, a search engine will take you there.


Robert G Parent
"All of life's questions are answered in the movies. "
-- "The Grand Canyon" movie