I know it's adapting a comic book, but there is such a thing as too much narration, especially the you'd-have-to-be-blind-not-to-see-what-he's-narrating-about kind.
The dialogue made me cringe at some parts, as it reminded me of the script I wrote for my high school Passion play. Better read than heard.
Since no-one can really say what the ancient Greeks sounded like, Gerard Butler's Scottish accent was more-or-less forgivable. (Hey, Kevin Costner made Robin Hood American.)
Yes, it's been said the Queen Gorgo's scenes w/ the council just padded the story, but w/o the female presence the audience might suffer from testosterone overload.
It's the good thing it wasn't a scene-for-scene adaptation of the comic ala Sin City, 'coz in the bonfire scene of the latter they weren't wearing their loincloths, and 300 wangs would've been a definite distraction.
Once again Frank Miller conveys his fascination w/ Asian and martial arts, giving them superhuman skills. First it was w/ Miho in Sin City, now it's with the Immortals. Orientals swordsmen w/ iron monkey masks. We get it, Frank. Everbody was kung-fu fighting...
The fight scenes are the highlight of the movie. Definitely out-Matrixes The Matrix trilogy. The handling of the corpses of the... losers was... creative, to say the least. And isn't it nice that Leonides could enjoy a fresh apple amidst the stench of death?
And speaking of which, where did he get that apple? I'll take their word that 300 guys were there, but who brought the food? No caravans, mules, or even pockets. Unless they ate those mushrooms that sent you into berzerker rages before/during battle like the Norse Vikings of old.
The gayification of Xerxes could not escape my movie companion's notice. Hard to miss, really. Eyelined brows and more jewelry than a dozen Mr. Ts. Sure, the Spartans made fun of the "boy-loving" Persians, but given Greek history w/ homosexuality, I think it was a "thou dost protest too much" moment.
I'm not spoiling anything by saying all 300 Spartan soldiers snuff it (not simultaneously). It's happened in similar war movies like Glory or The Last Samurai. Suicidal bastards. Klingons would've been proud.
