I’m not really sure how relevant this post will be, but we DID discuss 300 in class today, so I don’t feel too improper mentioning it on my blog.
Firstly, I agree with John’s analysis of Katharine Hepburn’s performance in the 1933 Little Women. She “sucked the least”, and I believe that is a most apt description. I believe that she overacted and it severely impinged on my enjoyment of the film, but nonetheless, she was the best of the worst and better than June Allyson in the ’49 version.
About 300…I disliked it intensely. It wasn’t TERRIBLE for what it was, although it was certainly below average, in my humble opinion. Cool visuals do not a movie make, and some among us might consider those visuals contrived, cartoonish, and overbearing. I really wouldn’t care if people weren’t absolutely raving about this movie, but it had ONE element which it executed successfully, the visuals.
Other than that, the dialogue was beyond terrible. I’m well aware that it was taken directly from the graphic novel, but it just doesn’t work. It’s just laughable with its trite and cliched notions of honor, glory, and machismo.
I don’t even need to mention the acting. I think even people who love this movie will admit that the acting was really really bad, especially the wife.
The plot (and yes I’m aware it was based on a true story) was far too predictable to be even remotely entertaining. I knew what was going to happen from the opening frame.
I just hate how all the reviewers that like it are saying stuff like “finally, a movie for men!” I just don’t get it. I’m a guy (I think?) and I like movies with, you know, a point outside of just looking cool. Is it really the case that guys only like oversimplified mindless junk?
All I got out of this movie was “war is cool and stuff and killing people rocks.” You can color it up with contrived notions of honor, glory, and bravery, but it really obscures the actual point. In my humble opinion, 300 is a thinly veiled propaganda film, but that isn’t why I didn’t like it. It just was not a good movie.