STAB! STAB! STAB! BLOOD! SEX! STAB!

Great movies are made with a controlled diet of story, technique and action. Great movies are like fine wine that only a few can taste with experience but all can enjoy and possibly get a little inhibriated. I entered the halls of the Palace Cinemas in Bloomington, Il. and joined the drove of 150 excited movie goers for the midnight screening of Frank Millers' 300.' I didn't know quite what to expect. I had not read the Graphic Novel about the 300 Spartans defending Greece against 150 thousand Persians.

Zack Snyder (director of Dawn of the Dead 2004) helms 300. The film uses digital backdrops and animation to enhance the battle scenes and not necessarily show off. This is the difference between say a new Star Wars movie and a movie like this. The Star Wars movies uses the action and the story to just do cool things with digital effects while 300 uses these tools to enhance the plot and create an environment not much unlike a Frank Miller graphic novel.
The battle scenes border on gratuitous and despite a pointlessly titalating Love scene the film is entertaining and visually stunning. The theater I saw the film converted all the screens to Digital porjection. The first time I saw a DP film it was 'Rocky Balboa.' Rocky was already a poor film but the DP didn't help out. Rocky is supposed to be gritty and real, right? Needless to say, it didn't work and the DP only aided in a poor quality film. A movie like 300 needs to be shown in this format, it's crystal clear, no flicker and no reel changes. A perfect visual experience.