Jason thinks too hard about 300

So I went with Leah and Jimu to see 300 tonight. I was stoked to see it, mainly because of all the buzz it's been getting in the dorms. Also, because of comic book artist/writer Frank Miller wrote the book it's based on. I sat down in my seat and I thought it looked great. The actors all seemed to really be involved in their characters (i.e. they worked out before a LOT before the shooting). The story was fine (the political aspects going on back at the home front were a nice complement to the battle). In case you don't know, 300 is about 300 Spartans who went (against Spartan/Greek Law) to fight an advancing Persian hoard. Now, why was it illegal for them to do so? Because a bunch of moldy, old oracles/soothsayers said that if Sparta fought they would lose. Thus, they shouldn't fight (these fortune tellers were, paid off by the Persians to make this prediction).

Okay, that's great. My problem with the movie was this: the Spartans kept talking about "defending freedom and reason" against "barbarians" who believe in "mystical demi-gods." Basically, the Greeks represented the new order (rational mankind) and the Persians represented the old guard (superstitious barbarians). Again, I'm fine with that. Not exactly history...but makes for a good movie. EXCEPT that the only reason it was 300 instead of 300,000 is because the Greeks didn't want to fight because A FORTUNE TELLER TELLS THEM NOT TO!!! Grrraa!!! They're being just as ignorant and superstitious as the Persians. Oh, but the Persian warriors are slaves, forced to fight against their will. The Spartans are free. Riiiiight. This too was untrue. The Spartans are raised FROM THE MOMENT THEY CAN WALK to fight. They're not given a choice of whether or not they want to fight or be poets or farmer...nope, you're either with us (Spartan warriors) or against us (dead). Who's the slave and who is free here? If you ask me, neither is free.

A lot of people in the press are asking, "is this an allegory for Bush and the times we live in?" Even though the producers/directors/writers say "no" I say "yes." Not in the sense that Frank Miller had a magic ball into the future when he wrote the original comic book back in the mid-1990s...rather, I think this war is the epitome of all human wars. Both sides were coerced to fight and sacrifice on the field of war because of petty, egotistical rulers. The Persian king wanted to rule the world. The Greeks want to be independent. The Greeks must be the good guys, right? Yes, in a sense. But they are free because they have an entire society (Sparta) that is nothing but a blunt instrument of death. Brainwashed men (and women) who think of nothing but the State (and what's good for the State). But the State is rampant with corruption. The Senate is being manipulated for the sake of a few (in the movie's case one man) and their own personal gain. This is the problem with human society. Someone must head it at the top, and most of the time the person at the top is only looking out for himself (and his/her friends).

Both sides are lied to, each thinking theirs is the noble cause (the Greeks fail to see how barbaric/superstitious they are...and how they share many common traits with the Persians). Both sides are comprised of armies whose members are pawns of a larger government that cares little for them. Today we have the US Army. Like the Spartan army, it's filled with honest, dedicated patriots. But they are wielded like a sword by people who often times have NEVER EVEN BEEN IN THE MILITARY. People who don't care if a few people die so long as they get what they want. Both sides of the aisle play "politics" with the lives of men and women fighting over seas. The Democrats want to stop funding the war in Iraq. Because they army has all it needs now? Is that why soldiers had to buy their own body armor? Even if that did shut down the war, how many people are going to get killed in the process? And don't get me started on the Republicans (or why we're even over there to begin with).

Anyway, 300 is an okay movie, but I was disappointed...I wanted a clear-cut swords and sandals popcorn movie. Instead, all I got was a reminder of who fucked up war is and how senseless it is to kill.

As a side note, I saw 300 at the St. Louis Mills Cinema and while the facility is nice, the picture was terrible. The print (not even a week old) was really scratched up in a lot of places. Some times it looked like the people had strings on them, like they were marionettes (which is sorta appropriate if you think about it). I make fun of George Lucas a lot (douche bag) but he has a really good idea when it comes to digital film. You can't scratch a digital movie, or get it smudgy with fingerprints...and the quality is MUCH better. I saw REVENGE OF THE SITH at a digital theatre and it looked awesome. It's sad to say, but I could have seen 300 better at my sisters boyfriend's house (he's all about the HDTV/DVD stuff). Even in my dorm, the picture would have been cleaner/clearer on standard DVD (playing on my XBOX 360 or PS2!). If they want me to keep spending my money at the movies (cost me $27.00 to get us all in) then they need to AT LEAST make sure the picture on the screen looks AS GOOD as what I can get at home. I was very disappointed.