300 is a film about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC between Persians and Greeks. The movie is based on the comic book series of the same name by Frank Miller. With over the top acting, and a mediocre story line, 300 relies heavily on its battle scenes.
The entire movie is a story being told by the lone surviving Spartan from the Battle of Thermopylae. Dilios (David Wenham) was sent back to Sparta by King Leonidas to tell the story of their battle. The narration is taking place in camp the night before the Battle of Plataea. Dilios serves to frame the story as if reading it directly from a comic book.
King Leonidas is played by Gerald Butler. He often unnecessarily yells and seems to be trying too hard. Queen Gorgo, played by Lena Headey, is a flat character who serves only to advance the story line. I would have to say the same for Theron, who was played Dominic West. Theron is a traitorous Spartan senator, who has been bought out by the Persians. He has heavy favor in the senate and tries to keep the Spartans from going to war with the Persians. The Spartan soldiers really do not have distinct personalities, and it is difficult to distinguish them during battle. There are only two actors from 300 worthy of praise: David Wenham and Andrew Pleavin, who played an Arcadian. Daxos is an Arcadian captain whose forces join Leonidas and the Spartans during the march to Thermopylae. Daxos is a more realistic soldier. He is a brave and skilled warrior, but in the face of insurmountable odds, his courage cracks. Even so he is still able to function as an effective soldier, slaying several elite enemy soldiers.
I was not a fan of the Persian King Xerxes (being portrayed as androgynous. Despite his tall stature his appearance was laughable. A leader of a nation whose armies have conquered all in their path should be feared, and have a fitting appearance. It is difficult to take a man with female features too seriously, even if he is 8 feet tall.
The action is pure adrenaline, but somewhat over the top. An excessive amount of blood comes out of ever body, and there are fictional creatures on the side of the Persian army. These creatures include elephants, an oversized rhino, a largew bulbous figure with saws for arms, and a giant. There are also the Immortals who can only be killed and never by age. At other parts of the movie there are goats playing instruments. 300 falls under a mix between historical fiction and fantasy.
The story line is not terrible but if it was not for the battle scenes, 300 would be a bad movie. There are no plot twists, and nothing too unexpected occurs. Much of King Leonidas’ dialogue is different ways of say that Spartans never retreat or surrender. There is also a highly unnecessary sex scen early in the movie between King Leonidas and his wife, Queen Gorgo.
If you love action you will like this movie. It does shed some light on Spartan culture, but nothing to any large extent. If you do not care for action and just want to see a good movie, it may be best to look elsewhere.
“Our target, Island X, is an ugly, smelly, dirty little scab of rock called Iwo Jima.” Flags of Our Fathers is a Clint Eastwood film about the six soldiers who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, and were captured in Joe Rosenthal’s famous photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. It is based on the book of the same title by Ron Powers and James Bradley, son of main character John Bradley. The movie mainly focuses on the three surviving flag raisers from the Battle of Iwo Jima: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Corporal Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), and Corporal Ira Hayes (Adam Beach). The story follows the three survivors helping in a campaign for war bond purchases. The main character, Bradley, has flash backs to certain moments in Iwo Jima, mostly to the deaths of the flag raisers and a couple other Marines. With little action in the movie, Flags of Our Fathers relies heavily on the story line.
Ira Hayes
The movie was well written, and shows the audience the truth about the flag raisers, and what the flag raisers tried to tell everyone. They were not special. They were not heroes. They had merely been caught in a famous picture while raising a flag. The flag was not even after a victory, the Battle of Iwo Jima last 35 more days. Though he does not believe himself to be a hero, as he says at each speech during the bond drive, he enjoys the attention. Hayes can’t stand it. Even after the war he cannot get away from his unwanted fame. A family even stops by the ranch he works at to take a picture with him.
Mike Strank
The movie shows the emotions of the soldiers well. Their reactions to situations show anger and fear. They function as soldiers whether they are angry or scared. Hayes kills a Japanese soldier with his bayonet despite the fear seen in his facial expression. In another scene, Sergeant Mike Strank (Barry Pepper) angrily beats a Japanese soldier to death with the butt of his rifle, after the Japanese soldier killed an American.
Flags of Our Fathers had a cast the including several actors who had experience with war movies. Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers), Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers), Adam Beach (Windtalkers) served in previous roles as soldiers.
There is occasional comic relief, such as when Mike Strank tricks Franklin Sousley (Joseph Cross) into asking the record officer for masturbation forms.
Rene Gagnon
The special were not needed often, but when used they were great. The explosions looked real and matched the time of the sound to a tee. The deaths also looked real, especially Mike Strank’s death when the corpsmen are unable to save him. The whole squad was at a loss, especially Hayes, as they all looked up to him. Hayes referred to Strank as the best marine he’d ever known.
Flags of Our Fathers was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Sound and Best Sound Editing. It won neither.
John Bradley
Flags of Our Fathers is a great movie with enough action to be considered a war movie. If you are looking to see this movie, go for the story line. It is exciting and reveals the truth behind the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi, and the bond drive that took place afterwards. Clint Eastwood also directed Letters from Iwo Jima, which is a Japanese perspective to Flags of Our Fathers.
Saving Private Ryan is a historical fiction movie starring Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Miller and seven others set out in search for Private First Class James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had all died within a few days of each other. You should not expect historical accuracy in this movie, but you will see a fantastic story and heavy action.
Saving Private Ryan is most well known, and rightfully so, for the Omaha Beach scene. It is the most realistic battle scene to be in a movie. The soldiers who were shown with missing limbs were actually amputees. Over 40 gallons of fake blood was used in the battle scene, which dyed the water blood red, as real blood did in the actual battle. Empire magazine ranked the Omaha Beach scene the greatest battle scene in movie history.
Village Fight
The movie won five Academy Awards: Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Cinematography (Janusz Kamiński), Best Film Editing (Michael Kahn), Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound. It was nominated for six others: Best Picture, Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Best Original Screenplay (Robert Rodat), Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score (John Williams).
Saving Private Ryan served as a breakthrough role for Barry Pepper (Private Daniel Jackson). He later appeared in films such as The Green Mile, We Were Soldiers, Flags of Our Fathers, and True Grit.
The movie also served as a breakthrough role for Vin Diesel (Private First Class Adrian Caparzo), who is most known for his role in the Fast and Furious series.
Omaha Beach
Never have I seen a war movie with such amazing special effects in a war movie. Saving Private Ryan is so realistic that veterans that had a history of post-traumatic stress disorder were advised not to go see it because of the Omaha Beach scene. I nearly cried while watching it. Hearing the soldiers screaming and seeing body parts coming out was very gruesome.
Upham
Technician Fifth Grade Timothy Upham (Jeremy Davies) is not the most likable character, but he is real. Like some real soldiers, Upham cannot take the horrors of war. He is too afraid to fire his weapon, and hides during battle. Upham’s cowardice may annoy some, but he is one of the realest characters I’ve seen in a war movie. Most war movies show all soldiers as fearless, which is far from the truth. Saving Private Ryan captures the fear soldiers have of war.
There are several inaccuracies in the movie, but nothing major. The Springfield sniper rifle used by the Americans in World War II held five bullets. The one used in the movie by Private Jackson holds ten bullets. Another is that Private Stanley Mellish (Adam Goldberg) is able to fire a bullet after his gun jams.
Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan shows the camaraderie between the soldiers, such as when Private Ryan refuses to leave his unit. When the group finds Ryan and tells him he is going home, he tells them it isn’t fair to his fellow soldiers. Why can’t they go home? He tells Miller to tell his mother "when you found me I was here, and I was with the only brothers I have left."
Saving Private Ryan is simply the greatest war movie ever. It shows the camaraderie of soldiers and that soldiers feel fear. The Omaha Beach scene is the greatest battle scene because it is unbelievably realistic. Saving Private Ryan is a must-see movie for anyone who enjoys action movies.
