|
★★★☆☆
4 March 2014
This article is a review of 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE.
|
“We can only judge the future by what we have suffered in the past,” Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton)
Again, striking action sequences can't make up for woeful writing, and dubious politicking. RISE OF AN EMPIRE, the belated sequel to the surprise hit, 300, from eight years ago, avoids messing with the formula: Ripped dudes cut swathes through faceless foreigners in stylised slow-motion. George Bush Jr. era filmmaking birthed a worryingly fascistic blockbuster in 300, made seductive to the palate thanks to stunningly choreographed action. Ousting of the neocons in the form of Barack Obama might have led us to anticipate a more thoughtful follow-up. That the same warmongering remains front and centre, arguably shows the cynicism of Hollywood seeing only dollars and not wanting to dilute the brand, or subversively that nothing much has evolved since the change of presidential incumbent.
Again, striking action sequences can't make up for woeful writing, and dubious politicking. RISE OF AN EMPIRE, the belated sequel to the surprise hit, 300, from eight years ago, avoids messing with the formula: Ripped dudes cut swathes through faceless foreigners in stylised slow-motion. George Bush Jr. era filmmaking birthed a worryingly fascistic blockbuster in 300, made seductive to the palate thanks to stunningly choreographed action. Ousting of the neocons in the form of Barack Obama might have led us to anticipate a more thoughtful follow-up. That the same warmongering remains front and centre, arguably shows the cynicism of Hollywood seeing only dollars and not wanting to dilute the brand, or subversively that nothing much has evolved since the change of presidential incumbent.
|
|
Enjoyment of exhilarating combat sequences is tempered by skin-crawling hatred seeping out of the screen. What a shame that technical prowess should be dampened by the most tedious of speechifying and conversations, leading to zero characterisation. Even the usually excellent Jack O'Connell (STARRED UP, ‘71) can’t bring to life his supporting part. Randomly administering war paint for the final battle does not give your dramatis personae a personality. Dialogue includes Artemisia (Eva Green) exclaiming, “I will attack the Greeks with my entire navy!”
What happens when your lead can’t/won’t reprise his star-making turn? Going all BOURNE LEGACY is the route chosen here: Retrofitting your franchise by going back in time and running your story concurrently (with the odd occasional cut to previous footage to remind audiences they are in the same universe, and not some money-grubbing exercise). So while King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) is off taking on Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) at the Hot Gates (no euphemism!), we this time get Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) providing the voice-over (even though previous vocal shepherd Dilios (David Wenham) is still kicking about). A ‘history’ lesson is provided in the now decade old Persian-Greek war, and how a god-emperor could exist. (Handy notes: It’s all a bit vague.)
|
|
Of course if you’ve seen the original and are back for seconds, you probably don’t care about the two-dimensional proceedings. Rest assured the upgrade to three-dimensional visuals will have you relishing the increased bloodletting, limb-chopping, slow-mo fisticuffs. Few arms/legs are left un-severed for audience delectation. New adversary, Artemisia, commander of the Persian armada, decapitates a prisoner’s head, gives it a kiss and flings it into the Aegean Sea. Nice.
As there is in literature, the movies should have an award at the end of the year for the most embarrassing sex scene. 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE dust off your tux.
“The dead have no guilt, no responsibility,” Queen Gorgo. What about filmmakers?
Entertainment can be found then, but only if you cover your ears.
|
|
