Saw 300 today.

[valis2]

I would like to thank the costume designer, and the casting director, from the bottom of my heart. I have never seen so much absolutely lovely beefcake in a film before, and it was stunning. David Wenham looked delicious.

The movie itself was just okay. 2 1/2 stars out of 4; plus 1/2 star for the most amazing, delightful display of manflesh I've seen.

I could not get attached to the characters, for some reason. The wife was decent, but I found myself wondering what Angelina Jolie could have done with the role. The men were very manly and yummy, but I just didn't really connect with them like the movie wants you to.

Writing and reading so much over the last few years has changed me. I am less likely to be impressed by predictable plot manuevers.

The movie was highly stylized, which appeals to me sometimes. But for some reason I think it should have been longer. I don't know. I think the biggest problem I had was that the actors were delivering lines. When I watched the Prestige recently, I noticed that most of the actors delivered lines, except for Tesla's assistant, who was simply a character saying what was on his mind...at least to me.

Anyway, I might go see it again, just because of the hawt men.

Comments

[orionnoire.livejournal.com]

Saw the trailer and loved the style of the movie. Didn't seem to be much depth to the characters, though.

Glad to hear your thoughts on the movie.! With all the mention of hawt men, I'm very tempted to see it tomorrow. ;)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there was no depth to speak of. But I guess in the end it didn't matter, because this is such a monument to gorgeous, hawt men in leather underwear.

[jaelle-n-gilla.livejournal.com]

I saw the trailer. It didn't tell me exactly what the movie was all about, but I agree on the costumes.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The men are just so hawt, and wearing so very little...wow.

[whitemunin.livejournal.com]

I want to see it purely for the eye candy. Gerard Butler and David Wenham running around in little leather knickers is worth the price of a ticket and popcorn. I probably won't even care if the movie is stupid. I'll be too busy drooling. : )

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The eye candy is worth about $40. The plot/movie? $1. Gerard Butler is absolutely ripped in this. His body is beautiful! And I often have a thing about older men with really nice bodies, and one of the other actors fits that bill, and that was such a lovely bonus. Plus there are many long, slow-mo shots of these bodies in action...huzzah!

[aerynstales.livejournal.com]

I saw this yesterday at the IMAX...dear god, giant size Spartan men! It took me most of the movie to realize the captain was Armand Assante! Never mind Faramir! *shakes head* I did enjoy this movie a heck of a lot...but I had to turn of my historical monitor because dude WTF with the Persians?! Xerxes wasn't that tall for that androgenous or...well let's say you could really tell this was a comic book first!

I heard from a friend after the movie the director was very much looking to recreate the comic frame by frame...which with some of the shots, you really could tell, and the bold colours helped in that regard as well.

I also thought the movie got a bit preachy in places as though someone was trying really hard to make this a political statement more than a tale but ah well.

I'd give it a 3 stars mostly because I adored a) the manflesh and b) they got some real Spartan historical bits and lines right (the fighting in the shade line is well known and the curse Leonidas gave to the hunchback is a Spartan curse...living a long life is the most horrid thing you could say to a warrior when your whole society gears you to die well with honour), and c) the cinematography kicked. It was a good afternoon's viewing, that's for sure.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The captain was someone named Vincent Regan...I've never heard of him, but I do have a weakness for older men who are rather nicely shaped, and...wow. He was definitely nice to look at.

And the comic thing? Yeah, I totally agree with you about that, it looks like they took a page out of Sin City and really tried to preserve the highly stylized look of the graphic novel.

It's funny, I gave it 3 stars as well, and only for the manflesh! ahah!

[lady-branwyn.livejournal.com]

One reviewer said he rarely made this criticism but he couldn't figure out what the point of the story was. But Armande Assante! Eeeee! The cherry on top of the Gerard Butler and David Wenham sundae.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I don't think Assante is in the film; the captain was played by someone I've never heard of named Vincent Regan, who looks a bit like him, though. ;)

[summerborn.livejournal.com]

I saw it last night, and that was pretty much my reaction! :D

Such fine chests, and manly bodies, and fine crimson cloaks, and leather underwear. Awesome.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I was seriously composing in my head a letter of worship to the costume designer while I was watching.