300: A man's movie.

If ever there were a more perfect example of a "guy's movie" it's hard to figure out what it would be. 300 is an action film that helped to redefine the sword and sandal movie and gave all men everywhere headaches trying to figure out how they could get abs like Leonidas and the rest of the Spartans.

The invading Persian army threatens Sparta and it’s up to King Leonidas and 300 of his bravest warriors to fight them back. They make their final stand at the Battle of Thermopylae in the hopes of not only defeating overwhelming odds, but inspiring their fellow Greeks to fight the impending tyranny of Persian King Xerxes.

The second cinematic incarnation of a work by comic book legend Frank Miller, (the first being the ultra cool, ultra violent Sin City), 300 was a viscerally thrilling action experience full of intense battle sequences, unparalleled environments and testosterone fueled performances led by the star-making one turned in by Gerald Butler. His Leonidas snarled, roared and howled the dialogue and provided enough heart behind what he said to make even the most conventional Patton-esque “fire up the troops” speech believable and rousing. Adding her own powerful punch was Lena Headey as Leonidas’ Queen Gorgo. Far from a wilting flower she held her own in the Sparta political arena as her husband chopped heads on the battlefield, passionately trying to explain that he fought not only for the freedom of Spartans, but all Greeks as well. These performances added some depth to the movie but are bound to be lost amongst some of the most ardent ancient battle sequences ever filmed. Director Zack Snyder did his best Peckinpah impersonation and slowed down parts of the action until they became something of a savage ballet that an audience would find hard not to either get jacked up about or become overwhelmed by. Either way 300 was a cinematic event.

Grade: A-