Audience Raves Over 300 at Berlin

Audience Raves Over 300 at Berlin


Cinematical.com



February 15, 2007




by Scott Weinberg




You know how there's often this "rift" between film critics and general moviegoers? Like when something like Meet the Fockers scores only 38% from The Tomatometer -- yet goes on to gross well over $279 million domestically and $237 million overseas? Yeah, that kind of thing happens a lot. (koff-NORBIT-koff) And it looks like it might be happening with Zack Snyder's 300 at the Berlin Film Festival.

A few days back our Erik Davis informed us that during and after the press screening for 300, a small-yet-vocal contingent of the audience was, well, let's just say they were unimpressed. And since it's a European Film Festival (where "cineastes" often behave like childish jerks), their disdain devolved into a round of scattered jeers and boos. Frankly I don't think it's that big a deal. (I remember a press screening of The Two Towers in which a few people booed. Those people were morons.)

But now comes word that Snyder's mega-sweaty 300 was not only well-received during its "ticket-holder" screening; the folks absolutely devoured the thing and greeted the end credits with a big fat standing ovation. (Two things that seem pretty prevalent at European film festivals: booings and standing ovations.) According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, the flick elicited big waves of applause throughout and people really seemed to like it. So I guess the moral of this story (and the Marie Antoinette story and the Clerks 2 story and the Southland Tales story and the Fountain story) is that you shouldn't judge a film's quality by the pleasant/nasty reaction it receives at swanky film festivals. Better to either stick with your favorite and most-trusted film critics -- or, heck, just drop the nine bucks and see the flick for yourself. (300 opens on March 9.)


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