300: Rise of an Empire

If it weren’t for Eva Green, there would barely be a third of the movie. Her charm has breathed life into this adaptation which is far more like a comic book movie than the first 300. It all stands or falls on whether she appears on the screen. Anyways, I was sort of sick and tired of this comic book feel. The first 300 was stylish and raw. But I’d compare this one to Sin City. Everything is purposely fake and wannabe cool. I’m not saying that it was disappointing, I’m really not. But it practically has just a single ace up its sleeve – Eva Green. Everything else is awfully fleeting. (10/07/2015)

Compared to the first one, there is more emphasis on the story, the exteriors are more varied and the "red" action at times tries to give the impression of real battle strategy, which I consider a good step in contrast to the monotonous chopping and endless slow-motion of Snyder (although this one has too much slow-motion, too). However, the only thing that elevates this cool, visually messy parade of abs and heroic platitudes slightly above the level of the first one is the head-cutting, eye-murdering, hard-fucking but outrageously attractive and sexy Eva Green, who endows her role with such charisma that Leonidas would quickly stick his head in the sand in front of her. For her sake, I not only throw in an extra star, but even declare the second 300 a very, very enjoyable and exciting waste of time. 55% (22/03/2014)

I was thinking, why does it make sense to continue something that has been concluded and stands perfectly well on its own? The intentions are purely commercial, which is reflected in the story itself, as it awkwardly tries to intertwine with the events of the first film, successfully avoiding most of the characters from it. That doesn't change the fact that it's merely flashy indulgence in modern action, which is brutal but ultimately lacks substance, right? It gets a few points for a naked Eva Green. It's worth it to see her. (17/08/2014)

A highly spectacular, comic-book-like bloody football match with an irresistible animalistic sex scene at half-time (which turned me on) and a subsequent poetic statement in the climax (which brought me to my knees). Praise goes to the film’s creators for the opulent conception of a sequel as a massive tune-up of the first instalment, which now seems modest in comparison. (03/04/2014)

A more than decent encore to the slaughter at Thermopylae. Less testosterone, more tactics, tricks and women. which makes the sequel much more diverse to watch. Eva Green steals the show, mainly because Stapleton simply doesn’t have the same charisma as Butler, and he knows it, and that’s why his character is craftier and, more than strength, he radiates intelligence. Xerxes, who initially was meant to be the mainstay of the movie, surprisingly appears somewhere toward the back, but Rodrigo still really enjoys his most famous role. A well-justified (what’s the word?) sidequel, that works even without the original 300. (07/03/2014)