Rate 300

[Relique du Madde]

This was the gayest homophobic movie I've ever seen.

Eh... I expected more...

I didn't see this as being homophobic, instead I saw this movie as being an act of denial of the movie's homosexality by it acting as if it were overly masculine. If Freud wasn't dead and burried (or completely full of it) he would have had a field day with this film..

 

[Mallus]

I've rarely seen anti-pederasty equated with anti-homosexuality, except by, well, anti-homosexuals.

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

The movie made it a point to portray Xerxes as a hyper-effeminate Goa'uld, and mention that other Greeks were "boy-lovers", unlike, say, the proud men of Sparta, who were like a well-oiled, mostly naked branch of the Promise Keepers...

The script didn't have to go there... but it did... and I can't help but find that telling.

 

[Mallus]

I didn't see this as being homophobic, instead I saw this movie as being an act of denial of the movie's homosexality by it acting as if it were overly masculine.

What about the portrayal of the villain as a gay freak, and the ultimately unworthy gay-ish "allies" of the Spartans did you find un-homophobic?

Mind you, none of this really bothered me. My problem with the film was that it was far too dull for an action film. Stop with the slo-mo, I say.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

The movie made it a point to portray Xerxes as a hyper-effeminate Goa'uld...

Androgenous is not the same as hyper-effeminate. I saw it as the movie showing him as androgenous.

..., and mention that other Greeks were "boy-lovers"...

Which is pederasty.

 

[Relique du Madde]

What about the portrayal of the villain as a gay freak, and the ultimately unworthy gay-ish "allies" of the Spartans did you find un-homophobic?

I didn't see him as being gay, I only saw him as being a freak with a deformity fetish. The fact that Xerxes' harem consisted of deformed women instead entirely of deformed men, saids that he at least not sexually repulsed by the female form.

Honestly, what made him gay? Was it the eyeliner he wore like a eqyptian pharoh? Was it the leather thong he wore like the Spartans who opposed him? Or was it the jewelery he wore to show his godly and kingly status? Was it the combination of his catlike grace and his seductive command of language* which he used to twist the hearts of men to coerse them to join his cause?

If anything, I think he was ment to give off an "exotic and eccentric feel" which unfortunately often wrongly equates to one being effemminate (or gay) by most people's standards.


*Of course, like any ruler (who views himself a diety) when his words fail, then he uses fear, bribes and or violence to get his way.

 

[Felon]

Having the physically inferior but politically/intellectually powerful villian is a common meme in Sword & X (Sandal/Shield/Sorcery) type movies. Conan's trickiest foes were often wizards, not other warriors, for example.

See, Commodus didn't display a great deal of brains. Many opportunities to do so were passed up. Remember this exchange:

Commodus: "I love the people and I shall embrace them."

Senator: "Tell me, my king, have you ever embraced someone with the plague?"

Commodus: "OK, I can't think of a good comeback, so I'm just going to threaten to have you killed if you give me any more back-talk."


OK, I paraphrased, but that was the gyst of it, was it not? Then later on, how does uncover the plot against him? He stumbles across his nephew playing Maximus. He was selfish and ambitious, but no mastermind was he.

 

[Seonaid]

I gave 300 a 10. It was the best movie I have ever seen. Granted, I have a horrendous memory, so that's possibly not saying much. However, I am a sucker for battle scenes. I found myself wishing for more mass combat in LotR every time they "strayed" to the plot (and I thought LotR, in book and movie form, was fantastic). I was very disappointed with LW&W (though I should have expected to be, seeing as it was billed as a kids' movie). I am easily amused and placated by large-scale battles, and 300 did it for me. Within the first, oh, 10 minutes or so, I knew I had to see it again. IMAX, here I come!

I was surprised, however, to discover that the plot didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I went into it thinking, "I hope there isn't too much talking and sex!" and came out thinking, "Huh. The talking was fairly well done. It nicely split up the battle scenes." The sex, on the other hand, I am conflicted about. It was well done, and I understand the need, but I still felt it was unnecessary. Yes, that's conflicting, but it's the truth.

Was it a perfect film? Of course not. But it was damn good and deserves every centimeter of the 10 I gave it.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

300!

I gave it a 10 as well.

It was a living comic book ... glorious, campy, and just plain fun.

-Samir

 

[Sir Brennen]

OK, I paraphrased, but that was the gyst of it, was it not? Then later on, how does uncover the plot against him? He stumbles across his nephew playing Maximus. He was selfish and ambitious, but no mastermind was he.

Read the slash in my statement as "and/or" and my point still stands. Commodus may not have been a genius, but he was politically powerful. Gladiator was a little more subtle, but 300 basically uses the same devices, but brings to it the comic book/mythological sensibilities which tend to exaggerate the perfection/virtuousness of the heroes and the "otherness" of the villains.

 

[Particle_Man]

I gave it a 7. I thought the comments by the Spartans that could be interpreted as homophobic (I won't go into whether they were or not at this point) were unnecessary to the point of the film, which was to see them kill a lot of enemies in entertainingly visceral ways. I also thought the senate sub-plot could have been cut entirely, as that also took screen time away from the point of the film. Frankly, cut out the Oracle scene too. The ephors saying "the gods don't want war on holy days" followed by a bribe is about all we need on why only 300 Spartans are marching off.

I wanted less needless talk, less needless sub-plots, more ACTION! "FOR SPARTA!" and the various ancient quips like "We will fight in the shade" is about all I want to hear these guys say.

For what it is worth, Miller's comic did have the oracle scene (but not the visual of the Oracle being licked), but did not have a Gorgo-Theron Subplot (Gorgo is there to say "Spartan! Come back with your shield or on it!" but that's about it). And while Miller did have the "boy-loving Athenians" line, that was it for the comments that could be interpreted as homophobic. So the rest comes from the movie.

The graphic novel also had a great "Spartan training via pushups" scene that the movie could have included instead of that other stuff I wanted them to cut. Sigh.

That said, it was still a fun movie. It just could have been better, in my eyes.