300: Rise of an Empire is another reminder that the movie industry is and has always been a business to make money. Sure, part of the film world is the artistic merit of cinema, but with art you also have commerce. And this sequel to Zack Snyder’s original is a way to remind audiences that 300 made a ton of money. It also, unfortunately, gave us poor substitutes with the likes of Clash of the Titans and Immortals.
Snyder may only be credited as a co-writer and producer of this entry, which can be best described as a “side-quel” to the events depicted in the original starring Gerard Butler, but it still maintains the look and contains the necessary elements that made 300 such a bit hit in the spring of 2007. However, the man at the helm this time around is Noam Murro, a director whose last film, Smart People, is in a completely different ballpark than what he offers here.
The ending credits indicate that Rise of an Empire is an adaptation of Frank Miller’s “Xerxes,” a still unpublished graphic novel. Taking that visual blueprint and Synder’s 300 influences (ahem, over-the-top violence, beheadings, and slo-mo, special-effects heavy action sequences, for starters) and you see the checks start to fill up in the running checklist of the Do’s and Don’ts of what must be included.
This time around the battle shifts from Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his attack on Thermopylae against the valiant three-hundred soldiers from Sparta to see Themistocles of Athens (Sullivan Stapleton) challenge Xerxes’s chief naval warrior, Artemisia (Eva Green). Without the support of Queen Gorgo of Sparta (Lena Headey), still in grief over her fallen husband, King Leonidas (Butler), Themistocles must rely on guile than sheer force of will. Early success over the much-experienced Persian fleet commander ultimately leads to Themistocles being put into an untenable situation where victory is less than plausible.
Aside from the action spectacle that Snyder unfurled in a tapestry of blood, violence and mayhem, the biggest attribute to 300 was Gerard Butler. As King Leonidas he had the right amount of gravitas in his swagger and speeches that you felt he could be the best motivational speaker in all of Greece. When he exclaimed “THIS IS SPARTA!” and followed it by kicking a Persian messenger into a well, you can’t help but feel the adrenaline start to pump in your veins. Sullivan’s speeches lack fire and intensity. He may be sharp with a blade, but his character is duller than one.
The same can’t be said for Eva Green as Artemisia. She is by far the most colorful addition to this sequel. As the villain she’s not one to empathize, though through a tragic backstory audiences understand why this Grecian woman would want to side with the Persians. As heroines become in vogue thanks to Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games), I’m all for seeing women in strong villainous roles as well. Green delivers in spades. Not only does she give 300: Rise of an Empire its signature line, which references a scene earlier between Themistocles and Artemisia where she tries to rile up the Greek with some titillating horseplay, Green proves that Artemisia is by far a better warrior than that princess named Xena.
300: Rise of an Empire is matinee fodder, pure and simple. Even with a new director at the command the visual moments we experienced seven years ago on screen are still present. Those thinking of splurging to see it in three dimensions can pass, unless you want three-dimensional CGI blood hurled in your direction. The added ‘D’ doesn’t make for a more immersive experience.
If you weren’t a fan of Snyder’s original, you likely won’t be swayed to see this sequel. Rise of an Empire isn’t boring, but it’s not pure joy either. It moves at a brisk pace from battle to battle due in large part to skimping on character development. Playing more like a videogame than actual film, it at least replaces double X-chromosomes and adds a Y to deliver a better badass villain. Still, this over exaggerated depiction of the Battle of Artemisium will be most appealing to those looking for an appetizer before the summer movies hit theaters.
Director: Noam Murro
Writer: Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad; based on Frank Miller’s “Xerxes”
Notable Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Len Headey, Hans Matheson, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro
