300: Rise of an Empire: Review

The original 300 is a strange film for me, because I always seem to catch small glimpses of it rather than the entire movie. I've seen large segments from the middle and end of the movie, but never sat down and watched it in its entirety. Because of this, I can't really compare that movie to this sequel, but from what I have seen, the original is yet again the preferable option. 

300: Rise of an Empire tells the story of a Greek army led by Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), as they try to defeat another hoard of Persians. The antagonists this time however are under the rule of a brutally cruel woman called Artemisia (Eva Green), who literally takes no prisoners. The film isn't exactly a sequel to it's predecessor however, as it begins quite some time prior to 300 and ends quite some time afterwards. It's almost an accompanying film to a much more beloved one.

Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton)

From the very first scenes, it becomes clear that Rise of an Empire is over-the-top. The extreme amounts of blood featured are almost comical, and its blatantly CGI appearance makes it difficult to become properly invested in any sort of dramatic story lines the film throws at you. I have no problem with excessive gore in movies, providing it is suitable and isn't present just for the sake of it. When the screen isn't covered in fake blood though, the well-choreographed fight scenes are fairly enjoyable and generally nice to look at due to the contrasting choice of colours. 

Unfortunately however, the entertaining fights are the movie's only real strong-points. Incredibly forced sexual scenes don't really add anything to the film as a whole, and seem to only be included to distract from the monotonous plot. The main protagonist of Themistokles isn't given much of a back-story, and his character is barely developed throughout the entire course of the movie. In fact, I was much more interested in the antagonist Artemisia, even though her history was also limited at best. The film also wraps up incredibly quickly, with no real conclusion actually being reached. 

Verdict

Overall, 300: Rise of an Empire is just a largely forgettable movie. The fight scenes are enjoyable, but that's where the entertainment stops. Forced sex scenes and 'emotional' sub-plots just make things feel awkward, and I can't really find any reason to recommend the movie...aside from the inclusion of 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath in the credits. 

"I would rather die on my feet...

than live on my knees."