300 - Rise Of An Empire

 

 

I was a huge fan of the original 300 so I was primed for more bloody carnage and a continuation of the Persian/Greek War. I was not disappointed. Taking place at the same time that King Leonidas and the brave 300 were holding back the Persian land army at the 'Hot Gates' of Thermopylae, this story takes place mostly on water as the Greek navy under Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) fights the Persian navy commanded by Artemisia (Eva Green).

 

Ava steals every scene she is in because she really understands how to play the Alpha Bitch to perfection. She is the walking personification of death and is more than a match for any man on the battlefield. She is unpredictable and scary with her own twisted agenda. She doesn't even fear Xerxes, the God King that she, herself helped to create. How can you not root for such a bitch? I so wanted her to win the day but this is not the movie for that to occur. When she jumps into battle proclaiming, "I am not a witness!" I felt my estrogen level rise to PMS numbers and like Artemisia, I wanted blood. Damn, I do loves me a woman who is not afraid to do her own 'wet work'.

 

There is a lot of posing and speechifying and the film is not the genuine classic it's predecessor is but that doesn't mean it still isn't an exciting action picture - because it is. I am someone who love a slow motion death scene like the ones in SPARTACUS or the first 300. I can't get enough of the blood and carnage (in the service of democracy and freedom of course) and frankly, after seeing what the computers can accomplish, I have no problem with actors just standing around in front of green screens while a bunch of unknown stuntmen die around them if this is the result.

I know many will quibble about how the stars seem to have little blood on them despite the fact that they are severing arteries of ten guys around them. Obviously the blood effects were added in post production and I am surprised that no one notices how clean the major characters came after defeating a dozen enemy.

That being said, the visuals of the Persian war machine are impressive and often spectacular as are the battles. It was a great idea to shift the battle to the sea. It allowed the two movies to be connected as the two actual historical conflicts the films depict were. The struggles were all a larger part of the Persian/Greek war, which lasted for decades.

It's been ten years since the last 300 and I could go for one of these every decade or so. It's too bad that this film has the first 300 to be compared too. It's not as good or as fresh as the Gerard Butler film was but you have to remember what a revelation that movie was at the time. It was unlike any war movie we had ever seen. It was gory and merciless but thrilling at the same time. One of the best times I ever had at the theatre. We had no right to expect a sequel THIS good, especially with all the baggage is has to carry. Worth your time.

Oh and the part with the horse definitely get's my vote for most exciting charge in a war movie, ever. What a genius maneuver to add Calvary to a sea battle. Those Greeks were thinkers.

It may not court casual moviegoers as easily as its predecessor, but Murro succeeds at delivering a 300 sequel that fans will enjoy watching. Buoyed by a captivating performance from Eva Green and an adequate replacement for Gerard Butler in Sullivan Stapleton, it’s still interesting (and exciting) to explore Frank Miller’s retelling of the Greco-Persian war. Nevertheless, much like the real Battle of Artemisium – which often takes a backseat in history books to the Battle of Thermopylae – it’s hard to imagine that Rise of an Empire will ever step out of 300‘s lofty shadow.

http://screenrant.com/300-rise-of-an-empire-movie-reviews/