Augustus Gloop goes item by item down through BNAT...

Augustus Gloop goes item by item down through BNAT: reviewing the trailers, shorts and features of BNAT8! 300, BLACK BOOK faves


December 11, 2006

Ain't It Cool News

Augustus Gloop




40) 300 (Feature)

I don't know what I can say that will please anyone about this. I completely 100% in every
way LOVED it. Unfortunately, I have kept myself away from the source material just to
ensure I wouldn't pick it apart. More than one person told me it was not as true to Miller's
work as it could have been and that they were disappointed to know that now the film has
been made as it is, it will never be made the way they feel is the 'right' way. Someone
else I think called it music made out of blood. I don't think that's entirely a fair metaphor.

While the battle scenes comprise a majority of the film, and they are I think everything
the fans will be looking for, I never believe in violence for violence's sake. One theme that connects several of the selections this year is perseverance. Rocky Balboa says that it's not how much you can dish out but how much punishment you can take and still keep
going. The heroine of Black Book perseveres through every horror the nazis can bestow.
The characters in Knocked Up even keep working at it until they manage to become good
parents and make their relationship work. The Spartans in 300 aren't so much taking
punishment as they are dishing it out repeatedly, but they face overwhelming odds and still persevere to the last. The grim resignation of these characters, the unstoppable fire in them is inspiring and kept my throat choked up through much of the film. From a technical standpoint, the visuals were matchless, the acting was perfection, the costumes were, well, the warriors were mostly naked and the women in togas, the music wasn't very memorable, but the sounds of battle were likely driving it away. I believe 300 will spawn mixed feelings in audiences depending on how familiar they are with Miller's book and how closely they feel it matches, but I think there will be more positive response to this than negative.




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