THIS... IS... SPARTA!

300 is a film based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. I've never read Miller's graphic novel but I am very familiar with the historical events of the Battle of Thermopylae.

In the last couple of months I've downloaded most of the trailers for this movie so was under no illusion that it would be an exact historical recounting of the actual battle. I was prepared for a fantasy version of the battle or, as as Frank Miller has said, the graphic novel/film is his view of the story of the 300 Spartans as told by soldiers round a campfire.

I saw the movie today and thoroughly enjoyed it. But then I've been a sucker for tales of heroism ever since I was a kid. I remember reading of Sparta as a boy and marvelling at their warrior society. This movie captures the sacrifice and glory of that small Spartan force holding out against the might of Xerxes' Persian army. If it encourages the average movie-goer to research the historical events then so much the better.

I predict that this will be one of those movies that is quoted for many years to come. There were so many cool lines that I can see being used by wargamers. For example, "This is where we hold them. This is where we fight. This is where they die!"

All the male actors had obviously worked out for their roles. Every one of them had magnificent 'six-packs' and bulging muscles. It's actually inspired me to get back into weight-resistance training and lose a few kilos of bodyfat. I'm going to blow the dust off my weights set and start working out. I want abs like that!

If you haven't seen the trailer for 300 then click on this YouTube link.

Harooh! Harooh! Harooh!