300 Ways to Die Trying
I saw 300 last night and am still reeling from it. Though I usually like to have thoughts fully formed before blogging, I haven't posted in a long time......which may tell you about how many thoughts I've fully formed in the last two weeks.
This movie appealed to me in a base kind of way. There's just something about being a dude that gives you an insatiable urge to watch movies with exploding buildings, fast cars or ripped heroes picking a fight.
So...was it good? Critics were mixed in their evaluations, and after leaving the theater I had similarly mixed feelings. The movie was undeniably gorgeous from a cinematography perspective. While the dialogue was often predictable, it mattered little in the wake of the visual elegance. But something about this film has left me feeling empty.
About halfway through the film, I noticed myself longing to see the Spartans spill the blood of their enemies. The arrogance, cruelty and blasphemy of Xerxes and his minions begged for a taste of true justice, and who better to administer it than the Spartans? After all, they were in the right, simply protecting their land, women and children. Fighting for freedom. Protecting Justice. Ensuring liberty.
But something about these slogans and their trappings rang painfully hollow as I thought back on the film this morning. Sure, the Spartans were presented in the film as the protagonists. As heroes. As liberators.
But were they?
Exactly what sort of freedom, justice and liberty were the Spartans aiming to protect by King Leonidas' ill fated march against the Persians? Justice that snatches the most beautiful young girls from the city and subjects them to a wasted life of pseudo prostitution as oracles? Liberty that casts all 'undesirable' babies to their death and instills an insatiable blood lust in the desirable ones? Freedom that ultimately begins and ends with the one who wields the mightiest sword?
Is anything truly gained by substituting one form of tyranny for another? Is there really any difference between the 'benevolent' rule of Leonidas and the 'benevolent' rule of Xerxes? Is there really any sort of freedom that doesn't come at the expense of systemic bondage? Shouldn't evil be identified as such irregardless of personal or national familiarity with it?
The parallels to our own situation almost go without saying and, though it has become fashionable to criticize current United States foreign policy, the implied questions are still worth asking irrespective of fashion. But, I'll leave those questions implied for the moment.
Labels: good movies
posted by timmer k. at
9:53 AM
3 Comments:
Tim - I had a similar conversation w/a Jewish friend who, b/c she is liberal, feels pressured to be pro-Palestiine, but after visiting Israel, feels more connected to her Jewish heritage. Then she said "I am anti-violence, and both parties are using violence to accomplish something. So, is either side really worth supporting?"
A great reminder that the Prince of Peace is the only one able to overcome and worth supporting.
By
Anonymous, at 1:22 PM
Hey Tim ~ I'm not much of a blogger, but I had to speak up about this film. I agree with your review, but (this may not be a nice butt) there are plenty of great things to take away from this film. First, this is a great guy movie. I love leaving a movie that builds me up as a guy. Second, why can't we view movies through our "Christian goggles"? If we lived for Christ the way King Leonidas lived for Sparta, how much of a difference would we make. 300 showed me how important it is to live a life worthy of our calling. Lastly, while I disagree with the movie's sex scene, I was blown away by the time and effort put into each scene. This is a movie you can't watch on a 27 inch TV. You need to get the full effect from the theater or your home surround sound (for those of you that can afford it).
For all you history buffs out there (and all you, like me, who are not), this movie was based on a graphic novel, not actual events. But knowing the history of the Battle of Thermopylae, gives you a better understanding and appreciation of this film.
300 was well worth the six bucks I paid for it, so much that I saw it twice!
By
Rob Warland, at 9:17 PM
Interesting post, Tim. I haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment on any of the implied questions raised by it. But I do think that the current willingness to critically scrutinize US foreign policy is a good thing.
I would be interested to read your thoughts on this review of 300, Tim:
http://www.slate.com/id/2161450/
The reviewer is dismayed that the film's director did not try to evoke more parallel's between today's political climate and the story portrayed. She wanted at least "a nod to anti-war sentiment" and more of a focus on the simplistic rendering of Persions (bad) and Spartans (good).
To me, she sounds like a genX-er afflicted with an overdeveloped sense of political entitlement, but you may read her differently.
By
Nate, at 1:57 PM
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