300: Ramble Review
Posted by: stuartdelony in 300, Uncategorized, man, man movie, movie review, review
Let me preface this review by saying that I am a movie consumer. I love them. I watch them all the time. I’m a long time Netfix customer. I used to work in the industry (in a small niche, for a small time). Needless to say: I’m not a Christian prude picking at Hollywood.
I have been waiting in eager anticipation for 300 to come out ever since I saw the preview months ago. Movies like Braveheart and Gladiator are my bread and butter. So I was ready to dine on this one.
Some students asked me to go with them to see the first screening of it at 11:59 PM. So I figured that they were going to go anyway, I might as well engage with them. And when students (17-19 yr olds) ask you to go, you some how become the coordinator and responsible (ha!) one. We had a fitting bible study before the movie on Samson. We were jazzed and ready to go. The theaters (there were two!) were both packed and filled with an excitement.
And that’s where my excitement ended. As one critic put it while describing the movie, “much butchery, some lechery.” It was such a study of pointless violence. There was no plot, no point, and no heart. It was macho-ism gone bad.
Most of you all should know I’m pro guy, but this was beyond anything showing a good use of masculinity. It was bloody and bawdy. The message: Men are blunt objects of war, cold and pumped for killing - and that is a good thing! There was nothing gained in the course of this movie, only loss. And I left it feeling sorry I had watched it.
That to be said, even in disappointment there is good to be brought for it. The discussions hatched on the ride home were good and when you stand in an empty parking lot (till 3:30am), freezing, and talking about how, as men, God has intended us for more than this. That’s priceless.
So in summary: waste your time and money elsewhere. There are plenty of bloody epics that have redeeming messages and values that you can rent (Braveheart, Kingdom of Heaven, Gladiator…). This just isn’t one of them. It was a video game with relentless violence and non-necessary nudity (not that it’s ever necessary, but there are times where it doesn’t even serve a point - just random flesh).
Two swords down (not up).
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Having been born a little north of Greece and having had those legends seared into my mind as a little boy, I would have no other expectations from his movie BUT violence and blood…heck, why would we even expect anything else?
At the same time it is a story of epic proportions…the kind of story that makes men gods if you will…and helps me realize how far humanity has come since. In many ways it is a story about how much better than violence and conflict the Kingdom of God can be, but also how God has equipped mankind to survive and fight even in the most desperate situations.
Not to mention that the battle cry “Tonight we dine in Hell!” can be a sermon in itself.
See I like your description of the movie better than the one I saw. I assumed it would be that way. I love warrior stuff, this movie just didn’t go below the surface of anything. It was a good looking movie with no heart.
If you go and see it, I’d love to hear what you think.
Thanks for the imput virgil!
Stuart, thanks for your review. I was really looking forward to seeing this movie. I’m a sucker for action flicks and this one looked particularly visually creative. From the trailers, it looks just like the graphic novel. But I started reading reviews saying it was plotless, full of pointless violence, and contained lots of negative stereotypes. Your review clinches it for me–I’ll pass on this one. Maybe I’ll catch it on Netflix six months from now.
Sweet - you’re a netfix guy too!?! A kindred spirit!
70 million in its first weekend! A march record.
Well that tells you how many people read my blog.
I got to see it last night….posted a short review. Loved it
Sorry Stuart….