300 (Two-Disc Special Edition)

More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it's not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller's source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book's images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered "bosses" if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn't involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity--more female, less male--than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller's work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. --David Horiuchi

Spotlight Reviews
Best BluRay (2009-01-07)
Customer Review : 5
Best movie you could add to your BluRay collection. Awesome fight scenes and amazing sound!

Do NOT buy the Blu-Ray. Settle for a widescreen DVD. (2009-01-05)
Customer Review : 1
I've seen this movie a thousand times on DVD. It is a geniusly orchestrated and well directed movie, full of action, romance and aesthetic beauty.

But I will tell you I bought the Blu-Ray expecting it to be an even more breathtaking experience but was HORRIFIED from the result. The contrast was so high I could see the pixels blinking (more like dancing) in the cloudy backgrounds and on the actors skin. It was SO distracting, I could not concentrate on the movie's content. I tried messing around with color and contrast settings but to no avail. Watching the same movie from my roommate's DVD seemed to have the same, if not better quality.

At first, I was immediately terrified that my TV was not compatible to my Blu-Ray player (just bought the Blu-Ray player and 300 happened to be the first BD I popped in). Then I speculated that I had bought a crap HDMI cable (it was only 5 bucks. though I had done the research to confirm which HDMI cables are good and this one was) and would have to wait another 2 weeks to buy one that was 12 times more expensive just to see if it that was the case. Just when I had almost convinced myself that my TV's processor was too slow, logic crept in. I popped in my Batman Begins Blu-Ray. Crystal clear and absolutely breathtakingly crisp picture. No contrast horrors to be seen. I found myself watching 30 minutes of the movie (that I've seen a million times) because I was amazed by the picture quality. Then came the deal sinker, popped in my WALL-E Blu-Ray. The picture quality was sooooo amazing that I watched the movie three times in a row (that, and the movie itself was insanely cute and entertaining).

So alas, 300's horrible demise as a Blu-Ray was NOT an incompatible/slow TV, NOT a busted Blu-Ray player, NOT a crap HDMI cable.

It was the Blu-Ray itself. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say it may have just been a bad burn but I would return this Blu-Ray in a heartbeat and just buy a widescreen DVD for my collection. A movie as good as 300 deserves better than that.

educational standpoint (2008-12-24)
Customer Review : 5
As a high-school teacher for English foundations, I utilize movies as a visual aide supplement to help them connect with the characters, setting, dialogue... I only show clips of 300 when I'm teaching Conflict (man vs. man, man vs. environment, man vs. supernatural, man vs. self). I strongly recommend using this dvd to support your curriculum to teach on all levels of student learning (auditory, kinesthetic, visual).

Great "300" Package (2008-12-22)
Customer Review : 5
I'm a huge fan of "300" and I just had to have the "collectors edition" to include in my memorabilia.

300 (2008-12-22)
Customer Review : 3
After I bought 300 on blu-ray I noticed that it doesnt really make sense to buy the blu-ray version because the entire movie is digital anyways, so it didnt really make a difference.