This story is based on a graphic novel, which in turn was based on the Spartan battle against the Persians in 480 BC. Gerard Butler played King Leonidas, who leads his 300 Spartan warriors against a Persian army of thousands upon thousands. Lena Headey plays Leonidas’s wife, Queen Gorgo, who stays behind while her husband goes to battle, and attempts to rally the council into sending reinforcements to help him. Dominic West plays Theron, a corrupt councilman who is Spartan, but who is really in cahoots with the Persians.
I didn’t really expect to enjoy this film, and I only really watched it because Dominic West is in it, but I found myself totally drawn in, and really liked it. It is quite obvious that the film is based on a graphic novel; it still has that ‘look’ about it. All of the cast do a fine job, and I don’t want to even think about how hard Butler must have trained to get himself into such incredible shape for this film. Dominic West, one of my favourite actors, plays a distinctly unsavoury character in this film, but as ever, I thought he was great in it.
It’s certainly quite bloodthirsty, and there are a few scenes of nudity also, which did not bother me, but might be worth bearing in mind for some viewers. Most of the action is centred around the actual fighting itself, but it’s so artistically done, that it never gets boring.
I liked it. I liked it so much that I would definitely watch it again, and would recommend it to others.
Year of release: 2006
Director: Zack Snyder
Producers: William Fay, Craig J. Flores, Scott Mednick, Frank Miller, Deborah Snyder, Thomas Tull, Ben Waisbren, Mark Canton, Bernie Goldmann, Gianni Nunnari, Jeffrey Silver, Wesley Coller, Nathalie Peter-Contesse, Silenn Thomas, Steve Barnett, Josette Perrotta
Writers: Frank Miller (graphic novel), Lynn Varley (graphic novel), Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael Gordon
Main cast: Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Tom Wisdom, Rodrigo Santoro
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