300 (R, 2007)

common sense media says

Bloody, fanboyish retelling of an ancient battle.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is no Masterpiece Theater rendition of ancient history. Like Sin City, 300 is an ultraviolent tale based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller. There's blood galore as the Spartans -- trained war machines -- defend their land against Xerxes' massive Persian army. Battlefield valor and violence is glorified by the Spartans, who take no prisoners and show no mercy. Heads literally roll, blood splatters, exotic animals are sliced and speared. Many, many soldiers on either side die gruesomely. If on-screen death and war -- even one so stylized and cartoonish at times -- is too disturbing a subject matter for your kids (or you!), this bloodfest isn't a safe bet.

Positive messages: Themes of underdog heroism and not bowing to corruption get a little lost in the blood and gore.
Positive role models: Even in the face of sure defeat, brave soldiers stand firm against
tyrannous threats to freedom. A corrupt Spartan councilman is exposed
as a traitor and brought to justice. But also some stereotyping based on Asian
culture, as well as one character's physical disability.
Violence: Over-the-top battle-scene violence, including graphic decapitations, severed limbs, mutilated bodies piled high, arrow-filled torsos, etc. Young Spartan boys are forced to furiously fight each other. The Spartan mottos are "No retreat, no surrender" and "No prisoners, no mercy."
Sex: Extended love scene between Leonidas and the queen; viewers can see her nude breasts and his butt. The adolescent Oracle writhes and sways while wearing a sheer cloth that reveals her breasts. A character unwillingly has sex to procure a politician's favor. Although no nudity is shown in that scene, the aggessor whispers menacingly: "This will not be fast. You will not enjoy this." Xerxes' lair is depicted like an orgy, with various half-dressed Persian women kissing, moaning, and having sex.
Language: Colorfully worded insults like: "motherless dogs," "philosophers and boy-lovers," etc.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on 300

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the Spartans' upbringing and values. Why are 7-year-olds forced to fight each other -- and adults?
  • Xerxes offers Leonidas what sounds like a sweet deal; why does the king, facing certain death, turn it down?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Adapting Frank Miller's graphic novel 300, Snyder takes a hyperstylized visual approach to depicting the famed Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his 300 elite personal guards defied their Oracle and the odds to wage war against Xerxes' huge, unrelenting Persian army. Faced with the choice of submitting to Xerxes (Brazilian Lost regular Rodrigo Santoro, rendered nearly unrecognizable in earrings and eye makeup) or waging war, Leonidas makes the only choice a warrior-king can: fight. Leonidas and his personal detachment, led by his captain (fine character actor Vincent Regan) and Dilios (David Wenham), discover that although they're grossly outnumbered, they can funnel the enemy into the Hot Gates (the literal translation of "Thermopylae"), a narrow pass where the Spartans' special-forces skills will crush wave after wave of the Persians. And, oh, how they crush. It's impressive and disarming to see the 300 delight in the "glory" of warfare. The Spartans, so drunk on warlust that they dismember, skewer, decapitate, and spear the enemy -- whether it's human, animal, or something in between -- are brave, but also a bit mad. What the Spartans want (unlike the Arcadians, a group of fellow Greeks that joins them) is not to survive but to "die a beautiful death" in battle.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
At times engrossing and at times laughably over-the-top -- the whole sequence in Xerxes' lair, with its hedonistic sensuality, smacks of stereotypical Orientalism, not to mention some of the grossly depicted Persian soldiers, and the disfigured hunchback who plays a central role -- 300 is entertaining as an extended war sequence. But it falls short of reaching the revolutionary Matrix-like status that the film's creators claim.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: David Wenham, Gerard Butler, Lena Headey
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 117 minutes
Theatrical release: March 8, 2007
DVD release: July 31, 2007
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity.
Watch our review

This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 
 

Review It

 

Review 300





Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
 

What parents & educators say

14

Most useful reviews by all members

 
the best movie of the year
finally a movie that explains the way we should be fighting the war on terror. the sex and orgy and rape scenes are pointless. the story is true to what happened although there were more warriors at thermoplye then the movie shows it gets the impotant stuff right. there is nothing wrong with teaching your children how to fight!

manay_4511
teen, 14 years old
 
Extremely terrible!!
This movie has alot of violence, and alots of sexuality/nudity. This is actually perfect for ages 17 and older.

 
Ah, Gerard Butler :) haha He makes this movie. I love the story, 300 against so many more and yet bravely facing their deaths. I cried when I watched this movie. Beware of nudity though.

lichking
teen, 14 years old
 
very good movie it was really bloody though when he chopped off the giants head that was gruesome but overall it was a good movie

TheSuperman765
teen, 16 years old
 
oh my god so much violence
The good stuff * Messages: Themes of underdog heroism and not bowing to corruption get a little lost in the blood and gore. * Role models: Even in the face of sure defeat, brave soldiers stand firm against tyrannous threats to freedom. A corrupt Spartan councilman is exposed as a traitor and brought to justice. But also some stereotyping based on Asian culture, as well as one character's physical disability. What to watch out for * Violence: Over-the-top battle-scene violence, including graphic decapitations, severed limbs, mutilated bodies piled high, arrow-filled torsos, etc. Young Spartan boys are forced to furiously fight each other. The Spartan mottos are "No retreat, no surrender" and "No prisoners, no mercy." * Sex: Extended love scene between Leonidas and the queen; viewers can see her nude breasts and his butt. The adolescent Oracle writhes and sways while wearing a sheer cloth that reveals her breasts. A character unwillingly has sex to procure a politician's favor. Although no nudity is shown in that scene, the aggessor whispers menacingly: "This will not be fast. You will not enjoy this." Xerxes' lair is depicted like an orgy, with various half-dressed Persian women kissing, moaning, and having sex. * Language: Colorfully worded insults like: "motherless dogs," "philosophers and boy-lovers," etc. * Consumerism: Not an issue. * Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not an issue.

Dr.Q
adult
 
Based on a history account. Well written.

antoineisthebest
teen, 15 years old
 
for mature pre-teen
I don't gonna lies but this is awesome ,the war scene totally awesome I watched in theater with my brother (he was 8 at the time ) and my dad,since we couldn't to buy it in dvd (we got the first it came out)the war scene were violent and bloody(with close up and slow motions decapitations) we see the queen and leonidas having sexe but the movie is awesome

NicoleReeves
parent of 3 , 7 , 9 , 12 , 16 , and 18 year old
 
300 = Good
I think this movie was good, thought deffinitely NOT for young viewers. Explicit love scenes and lots of blood make for an ADULT movie, but still Gerard Butler is fantastic.

Semi Intelligence.
teen, 13 years old
 
Great adult horor movie not for anyone younger than 16
It was rated R for a reason. Very violent horor movie. Can even give teenagers nightmares.

BestPicture1996
teen, 16 years old
 
Stylish film, not historically accurate
As ironic as this sounds as parents/teachers usually tell kids not to watch violent films, my teacher told my class to watch this film if we could. Luckilly for me it was on TV the upcoming weekend, so I taped it. Most of my friends had already seen it and said it was very good, so I had high expectations. They were met! Very good film, extremely violent however. I learned about the Battle of Marathon and the 300 soldiers, and this film does not exactly do history justice, but it is ridiculously entertaining.

apple boy 2
teen, 17 years old
 
tereble
this is very historically inacurate, it is made by racist people that dont like persia and want to make persian people look like monsters

movieinformer
teen, 14 years old
 

movieslug
teen, 16 years old
 
Epic movie. Leonidas rufuses to give in to trany. Cartoon stlyle vilonce/blood and gore

jadeybug12
teen, 13 years old
 
My buds and I got bored one Saturday night and decided to watch all the Gerard Butler Movies we owned, starting with 300. HUGE MISTAKE! We couldn't so much as look in the general derection of the screen without sceaming our heads off. IT"S RATED R FOR A REASON! On the other hand, if you cross out all of the violence and romance, the movie isn't half bad.

vmaekegvjs.fknmsel
parent of 13 year old
 

coolpeep
kid, 13 years old
 
great movie kinda violent as long as u skip the odd scens wich any 11 year old would its good for a 11 year old as long as their no really immature

TNTBlowsUp
kid, 11 years old
 
300 is a good movie. Well put together. But gory violence. People are beheaded, stabbing, arrow shooting. Blood splatters in the movie very frequently. I rented when I was 9 with my dad. The movie is AWESOME but gory. Kids from 10-14 should be ok. The sex scene you can fast-forward. It doesn't have anything to do with the story either.

j♥j♥f♥
teen, 13 years old
 
My Ancient Cultures teacher made us watch this movie in class. Though he did cut out many of the parts, the entire movie was pretty gruesome. Basically, the point of the movie was to just kill everyone and it was nasty. Hello? It was rated R? Don't watch it!

 
Ok basically there is no redeeming value. It's for perverse people to get their jollies. I don't think movies like this should exist, it is historically inaccurate and serves no purpose. Orgies and rape? Yeah no thanks. I find it very upsetting. Especially the sex and senseless violence.

Spartan 101
kid, 13 years old
 
love it! wasn`t as scary as i thought it would be. but preety bloodly. but i love the spartans and it is very insteristing. but one scary part show aton of people that are hanged and a child die in Leonidas hands. but its to scary for kids 12 and younger. good movie

An independent voice for families
Age-appropriate reviews
 

vote now

Will you see 300?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors


About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age