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I was part of a group outing to see 300 this weekend. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, but not for the reason you might expect.

First off, a little background. For those of you not aware, 300 is based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, which in turn is modeled on the historical Battle of Thermopylae (and also apparently draws inspiration from the 1962 movie The 300 Spartans). I say “modeled on” because while there are many similarities to the actual battle, this movie presents a story that is as much fantasy as anything else.

Which is fine, I certainly can’t fault anyone for taking a historical basis and trying to make an enjoyable story out of it. What ended up happening for me though, was that the movie began spiralling into absurdity partway through. To the point where by the end I was laughing at the movie. And not just at the scenes that were meant to be funny, but even the scenes where limbs were being severed and people were dying. Either I’m just seriously disturbed, or the movie managed to get so over-the-top ridiculous that even the action scenes became funny.

But it is enjoyable to laugh like that, and so I enjoyed the movie in that “so bad its good” sort of way. But that’s not to say there’s nothing redeemable about the movie. I think stylistically, the movie is very well done. Many of the scenes are very artistically done. It also captures the feel of a comic book more better than most other comic book adaptations. The music, while MTVesque at times, is good and generally fits the tone of the movie. And I’ll admit, the “dying to protect the freedoms of others” theme tugged at the ol’ heartstrings at the very end. (Ignoring for the moment that the real-life Spartans owned slaves, and several thousand of them also died at Thermopylae)

Should you see 300? Well, that’s up to you, but I hope you have a better idea of what you’re getting yourself into now.

Courtesy of my dad, one freakin’ hilarious video.