300 was one of the better movies from director Zack Synder.   There is an expansion of the mythology of 300 in movies based on comics written and drawn by frank Miller (in fictionalized retellings of real historic battles).  300: THE RISE OF AN EMPIRE acts as prequel, side story to the 300, and sequel to the first movie.  The naval battles are the center piece of this movie other than the over-the-top grand performance by Eva Green as the Persian naval commander Artemisia (who is also the grand manipulator of Persian God King Xeres in her quest of revenge against the Greeks).  Artemisia is equally skilled in battle as she is in sex (as witnessed in a scene between her and Greek General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) which is one part brawl/ one part rough sex scene). Stapleton almost matches Eva Green in the scenes they are in together, but Eva always comes out on top regardless of her character’s fate.   300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE blends CGI and actual set pieces more smoothly than in 300 (which was more of a style over substance movie that was trying to be a film version of Frank Miller’s comic down to some of the visuals of the comic itself).

 

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE is best seen as a companion piece or another chapter of the 300 saga which fills in the gaps and expands on the universe.   It starts with the fateful battle between the Greeks and Persians ten years ago where one decision by Themistocles leads to the rebirth of Xeres as a God King bent on revenge as manipulated by Artemisia (who was beaten and raped by Greeks when she was child before being left for dead to be taken in by the Persians who trained her to be a warrior).  The movie then goes into the events happening while the Spartan King leads 300 men against the Persians and the events after the 300 had fallen.   It is like chess match between two equally clever opponents as Artemisia tries to break the back of the small Greek fleet and Themistocles using clever tactics to beat back the advancing fleet.   Artemisia admires the tactics of her opponent which she sees as an equal in her yearning to have someone she can trust to be at her side.  Fans of 300 will love this one and straight action films fans might even dig it too and definitely anyone who wants to see a deadly badass woman take power in a world controlled by men.  I know I loved it for the great action and an awesome scene stealing turn by Eva Green.   I think I like it better than the first 300.  

 

This review is ©3-14-2014 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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