300: Rise of an Empire

"Better we show them, we chose to die on our feet, rather than live on our knees!" - Themistocles

release year: 2014
genre: action
viewing setting: home Bluray, 8/23/18

synopsis: Various other events are happening before, during, and after Leonidas fought Xerxes at Thermopylae.

impressions: More battles, less Spartans, more regular Greeks. This is mostly a naval engagement, with the Greek leader Themistocles taking on the Persian leader Artemisia and her vastly superior forces. It had copious amounts of fighting, violence, blood, and gore - sometimes overly stylized. All in all, I'd say that if you liked the first movie then you'll like this, and they are connected as far as the characters and events.

acting: Sullivan Stapleton is Themistocles, who's determined to lead a smaller force and win. Eva Green is Artemisia, the ruthless and cruel general of the huge Persian force. Callan Mulvey is Themistocles' friend and right-hand man. Rodrigo Santoro is the Persian king Xerxes. Lena Headey is Leonidas' queen who has to take over after he's gone.

final word: More of the same; entertaining and bloody.

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