300: Rise of an Empire
3/4
Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell, Lena Heady, Rodrigo Santoro
Rated R for Strong Sustained Sequences of Stylized Bloody Violence Throughout, A Sex Scene, Nudity and Some Language
"300" was a violent, bloody adrenaline cocktail that had "cult movie" written all over it. I had a friend who said that he knew someone who watched it over and over again for days. Adrenaline junkies flocked to it. It made a killing at the box office (just shy of $500 million), so a sequel was inevitable. It was in the pipeline for a number of years in various incarnations until finally, last Friday, the film was completed and released to the public.
The film's plotline covers events before, during (although in another theater of the war), and after the events in the first film. Themistocles (Stapleton) is a legendary naval commander who, during the battle of Marathon, threw the spear that felled the Persian king Darius (Igal Naor). He did not seize the opportunity to kill Darius's son Xerxes (Santoro), a decision he later regrets. Then he realizes that the Persian army is on the warpath, intending to wipe Athens from the map of history. They are led by Artemesia (Green), a Greek who was attacked by her own people and left for dead. Now Themistocles must fight the forces of Artemesia, whose ships are more numerous and more powerful than his.
The best way to sum up "300: Rise of an Empire" is probably this: you'll get what you paid for. People will go to see this movie because they want to see copious, over-the-top violence, streams of blood, and some gratuitous nudity. The film has all three in great quantities. Those who liked the first one will appreciate what Noam Murro has unleashed.
The acting is effective, which helps the film considerably. The lead, replacing Gerard Butler (who was invited to have a cameo, but turned it down. He still appears in archive footage, however), is Sullivan Stapleton, a relative unknown in the US (he did have small roles in "Gangster Squad" and "Animal Kingdom," though). Stapleton gives a good performance, but he doesn't have Butler's presence or charisma. Nevertheless, we get on his side, and that's all that matters. Eva Green was the studio's only choice for Artemesia, and it's a part the she plays with relish. Artemesia is bad to the bone; she's the kind of girl who will interrogate a prisoner, slice off his head, and kiss its mouth (with tongue) before tossing it nonchalantly overboard. Still, there were times when I thought she could have chewed the scenery even more. Everyone else is a character actor, and fills their jobs admirably.
Director Noam Murro attempts to replicate Zack Snyder's signature style in the action scenes, and he is mostly successful. It has about 90% of the adrenaline that the first film had, and I'll take that gladly. Less effective is an examination of Themistocles guilt over the carnage that he is somewhat responsible for. It's not convincing, and frankly, has no place in a movie like this. This is a movie where the warriors are thrill-seekers, eager for the bloodletting to begin.
I like how Murro and his crew don't try to make a carbon copy of the first one. For the most part, the action takes place on ships. It's cooler because it's different and more epic, but no less satisfying. For those who crave the sword-and-sandal slaughter, there's plenty of that too.
All in all, this is exactly what a good sequel should do: retain the identity and thrust of the original but take it in a new direction. The ending, however, is less than satisfying, however. Not that that's much of a detriment.
Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell, Lena Heady, Rodrigo Santoro
Rated R for Strong Sustained Sequences of Stylized Bloody Violence Throughout, A Sex Scene, Nudity and Some Language
"300" was a violent, bloody adrenaline cocktail that had "cult movie" written all over it. I had a friend who said that he knew someone who watched it over and over again for days. Adrenaline junkies flocked to it. It made a killing at the box office (just shy of $500 million), so a sequel was inevitable. It was in the pipeline for a number of years in various incarnations until finally, last Friday, the film was completed and released to the public.
The film's plotline covers events before, during (although in another theater of the war), and after the events in the first film. Themistocles (Stapleton) is a legendary naval commander who, during the battle of Marathon, threw the spear that felled the Persian king Darius (Igal Naor). He did not seize the opportunity to kill Darius's son Xerxes (Santoro), a decision he later regrets. Then he realizes that the Persian army is on the warpath, intending to wipe Athens from the map of history. They are led by Artemesia (Green), a Greek who was attacked by her own people and left for dead. Now Themistocles must fight the forces of Artemesia, whose ships are more numerous and more powerful than his.
The best way to sum up "300: Rise of an Empire" is probably this: you'll get what you paid for. People will go to see this movie because they want to see copious, over-the-top violence, streams of blood, and some gratuitous nudity. The film has all three in great quantities. Those who liked the first one will appreciate what Noam Murro has unleashed.
The acting is effective, which helps the film considerably. The lead, replacing Gerard Butler (who was invited to have a cameo, but turned it down. He still appears in archive footage, however), is Sullivan Stapleton, a relative unknown in the US (he did have small roles in "Gangster Squad" and "Animal Kingdom," though). Stapleton gives a good performance, but he doesn't have Butler's presence or charisma. Nevertheless, we get on his side, and that's all that matters. Eva Green was the studio's only choice for Artemesia, and it's a part the she plays with relish. Artemesia is bad to the bone; she's the kind of girl who will interrogate a prisoner, slice off his head, and kiss its mouth (with tongue) before tossing it nonchalantly overboard. Still, there were times when I thought she could have chewed the scenery even more. Everyone else is a character actor, and fills their jobs admirably.
Director Noam Murro attempts to replicate Zack Snyder's signature style in the action scenes, and he is mostly successful. It has about 90% of the adrenaline that the first film had, and I'll take that gladly. Less effective is an examination of Themistocles guilt over the carnage that he is somewhat responsible for. It's not convincing, and frankly, has no place in a movie like this. This is a movie where the warriors are thrill-seekers, eager for the bloodletting to begin.
I like how Murro and his crew don't try to make a carbon copy of the first one. For the most part, the action takes place on ships. It's cooler because it's different and more epic, but no less satisfying. For those who crave the sword-and-sandal slaughter, there's plenty of that too.
All in all, this is exactly what a good sequel should do: retain the identity and thrust of the original but take it in a new direction. The ending, however, is less than satisfying, however. Not that that's much of a detriment.
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