Overview
300 is a 2006 epic historical action film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae within the Persian Wars.Plot
King Leonidas of Sparta leads 300 of his finest warriors against the massive Persian army of King Xerxes. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Spartans hold a narrow coastal pass at Thermopylae, using their superior combat training and tactical advantage of the terrain to fend off wave after wave of Persian attackers.Key characters
- King Leonidas - The protagonist and King of Sparta, portrayed by Gerard Butler
- Queen Gorgo - Leonidas’s wife and Queen of Sparta, portrayed by Lena Headey
- Xerxes - The Persian God-King and primary antagonist, portrayed by Rodrigo Santoro
- Dilios - A Spartan soldier and narrator of the story, portrayed by David Wenham
- Captain Artemis - Leonidas’s loyal captain, portrayed by Vincent Regan
Production
The film was shot mostly with bluescreen to replicate the visual style of Frank Miller’s original comic book. This gave the movie its distinctive, highly stylized look with desaturated colors and heightened contrast.Legacy
- Grossed over 65 million budget
- Spawned a sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
- Became a major cultural phenomenon with iconic quotes like “This is Sparta!”
- Influenced visual effects techniques for comic book adaptations