This Is Sparta? Meticulous gore and adventurous set pieces; "300: Rise Of An Empire" is a glorious, guilty pleasure.

"300: Rise Of An Empire" (15)
Director: Noam Murro.
Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Rodrigo Santoro, Eva Green, Jack O'Connell and Lena Headley.
Running time: 102 minutes.
Rated: 15 for containing strong bloody violence, strong sex and sexual violence.
Out now in UK cinemas. 

Serving as a companion/parallelquel piece to Zack Snyder's strangely entertaining gore festival "300", "300 Rise Of An Empire" follows the Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), as he attempts to destroy what remains of the Persian army; with the enemy led by the God-king Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his expertly trained captain Artemisia (Eva Green), will the task prove too hard for the Greeks and their minuscule arsenal? 

The Greek army could only afford two blue capes... A still from "300: Rise Of An Empire"

Seven years on since Frank Miller's beloved graphic novel was adapted by Zack Snyder, "300 Rise Of An Empire" not only takes place alongside the timeline of the first film, but also the events after (spoiler for those who haven't yet seen "300") King Leonidas and his 300 Spartan’s defeat, at the hands of King Xerxes's army. A tad bit confusing I must admit, but this next chapter in the "300" franchise is (to a degree) largely entertaining.

For all intents and purposes, "300 Rise of An Empire" shouldn't be as fun as it really is; after all, this sequel probably wouldn't exist if not for the vast amount of profit gathered from Zack Snyder's effort and the franchise's extensive volume of fans. 

Gender equality and female empowerment... A still of Eva Green in "300: Rise Of An Empire". 

So, the chances of "300: Rise Of An Empire" becoming a critical success were always low, but here the team behind this extremely boisterous, 102 minute orgy of gore, promiscuity and degradation (mainly towards the female cast), somehow manages to create a film that is both appealing towards those who are most definitely not watching it for the historical accuracy (because it isn't accurate at all!), but for the vast amounts of action. Written by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, the film's script itself is weak in terms of plot and character development, but for the intended audience (action fans) this exciting continuation of the "300" story is acceptable fun.     


With the introduction of a relatively unknown director Noam Murro, the sequel hasn't lost the intended style of Zack Snyder's original film, and has instead improved not only on the film's scale, but the action sequences as well, with a more believable and enjoyable approach to Zack Snyder's highly stylised sequences. 

Preparing for battle...
A still of Sullivan Stapleton in "300: Rise Of An Empire".

In regards to the cast, this instalment may not have the strength of Gerard Butler’s character (for obvious reasons) but performs well with a relatively unknown cast, led by the capable Sullivan Stapleton, who portrays the Greek commander, Themistokles. Other cast members shine firmly, with Eva Green and Lena Headley sharing the limelight in terms of the female cast, whilst both acting well in their roles, which are both enjoyable to watch. 

Verdict

“300: Rise Of an Empire” may not be perfect from a critical point of view, but for a substantial Saturday night action film, it exceeds previously negative expectations. 

5 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.