23/50x2: 300

I think I probably should have watched this when all of the hype was out around it. Because, I honestly didn't really see the appeal. I mean it was a decent enough watch, but was I missing the amazingness that everyone saw when this first came out?

So, 300 stars Gerard Butler as King Leonidas. The film follows him from when he was a young child and becomes a great warrior, and eventually the king of Sparta.

One afternoon a messenger approaches Sparta, Leonidas and his wife, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) to demand the submission Sparta to King Xerxes. Of course, Leonidas refuses and kills the messenger. Expecting Xerxes and the Persians to attack, Leonidas recruits 300 spartans and sets off to attack the Persians themselves.

Leonidas knows this will be a suicide mission for almost all that have volunteered, but he hopes that this will bond the council and stop the Persian attack.

Back in Sparta, Gorgo is trying to help her husband and is approaches by Theron (Dominic West) who says he will persuade the council to send more soldiers to help Leonidas if she will give herself to him.

Again, this is pretty much the entire film. Sure it looks nice and there is a ton of great action to watch, but it just didn't do a whole lot for me.

I did enjoy seeing West in something again. He has done so little since his time on The Wire and he is pretty good here in a small role. I also enjoyed Headey as the queen - those were probably my two favorite characters. Leonidas, or Butler, was just way over the top. Butler has been decent in most roles I have seen, but this was supposed to be his top role, but I was not that large a fan of the role.

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