300: Rise of an Empire is part prequel, part parallel, and part sequel to the 2006 violent cult classic 300. Are you confused yet? It’s okay, that feeling will stay with you from opening credits to the ending that sets up another sequel (we hope). The storyline is basic at best; beginning ten years before King Leonidas and his 300 men fight off the Persians at the Hot Gates. The moviegoer finds out the backstory to Xerxes and how he turned from whining boy who lost his father at the battle of Marathon (who was shot by this story hero, Themistocles, in a rather pansy way) to a God king. You also meet Artemisia, a badass female naval commander who is Greek by blood, Persian by destiny. The story centers mainly around Themistocles and Artemisia with cameos by Queen Gorgo (played again by Lena Headly) and various others from the original film. Themistocles is trying for a united Greece in order to stop the Persians from bringing them to heel and making sure democracy dies. While he and a small grouping of men from about the City-States begin a naval battle with Artemisia, the 300 are battling the Persians at the Gates. Artemisia (Eva Green), the right hand woman of the fallen Persian king, is downright brutal, beautiful, intelligent, and fuelled by pure hate for her former countrymen (you will not blame her for this disdain). Battles ensue, blood is spilled, nudity and oiled up abs abound.
If you are a fan of the original, there are definitely draws. Zack Synder, who wrote and directed the original, is not the man behind the lens this time, though he did pen the screenplay. Shot in glorious IMAX 3D, there is a beauty to the brutality; though one could argue the filmmakers rely too heavily on the special effects because every third second is in super slow motion and it seems every swipe of the sword propels Hollywood crimson towards the screen until it splatters like a 1950s B movie. Of course, it’s not a Synder noir-knockoff without a rape scene or two thrown in.
Yes if Sin City, 300, and Sucker Punch are your types of movies, give this prequel-sequel a go. But know that you are going more for the violence, boobs, glory, and cinematography than for the storyline. If you strip away the blood and guts you are left with a film that is, to be honest, a bit of a bore. Even the most interesting and enjoyable part of the film: the violet angry sex between our hero and villain, is well… anticlimactic. The movie pales in comparison to its predecessor, mainly because Themistocles does not pull off the warrior with heart as well as Gerard Butler’s Leonidas. All of the characters are flat, while they scream of fighting for democracy they may as well be screaming for protecting pizza. It is the imagery, the history (albeit a bastardisation of the actual facts), and the majesty that will cause me to buy this film and house it right next to 300. If you are in the mood for a little mindless violence, this is definitely your flick. The original was not released in 3D, so if you are venturing out to watch the new, go ahead and spend extra to see it in IMAX. There is no more beautiful and tragic sight as watching Athens burn and fall in 3D. After all, you are going to see buckets of blood, not an Oscar nominee.
