300: Rise of an Empire (FILM REVIEW)
300: Rise of an Empire
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Higher Body-Count Sequel Trumps the Original
The bloody epic
300 (2007) chronicled the Battle of Thermopylae in
480 B.C. when a badly outnumbered band of 300 soldiers were sent on a suicide
mission to defend Sparta against a horde of over 100,000 Persian invaders. Based
on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, that minimalist, monochromatic
adventure was shot almost entirely against blue screens on assorted soundstages.
300:
Rise of an Empire is one of those rare sequels which actually improves on an
original’s formula. This relatively-expansive, higher body-count affair arrives
replete with sweeping seascapes and panoramic mob scenes. It also ups the ante
in terms of sensuality, especially by exploiting the visual appeal of Eva
Green.
At the
point of departure, we find the previous picture’s triumphant King Xerxes
(Rodrigo Santoro) plotting to lead the Persian army against forces led by Greek
General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton). The play-by-play is narrated by Sparta’s Queen Gorgo
(Headey) who devotes considerable time to a detailed lesson in ancient history
to set the table for the wanton slaughter about to ensue.
Among other
things, we learn that the commander of the Persian 1,000-ship armada is the
warrior goddess Artemisia (Green), a Greek traitor who turned against her own
people for good reason. In her youth, she’d been brutally raped and sold into
slavery after being forced to witness the murder of her entire family.
The
revenge-minded orphan was freed and raised as a warrior by Xerxes late father,
Darius (Yigal Naor). Today, she has blossomed into a ravishing fighting machine
as likely to subdue an adversary with her womanly wiles as with her sword. In
perhaps the movie’s most memorable moment, she decapitates a foe before
planting a kissing on his skull’s lips.
Such
gruesome displays are par for the course, as scene after scene seizes on any
excuse for stomach-churning depictions of torture and gore. A revisionist tale
of female empowerment suggesting the fairer sex was the equal of any man even
when engaged in mortal hand-to-hand combat.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated R
for sexuality, nudity, profanity and pervasive violence
Running time: 102 minutes
Distributor: Warner
Brothers Pictures
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