The first 300 experience was all about Thermopylae events and Leonidas, but in 300: Rise of an Empire the movie changes its gear to a completely stunning sea battle.
The opening shot of this epic starts with the reference to the previous movie, but here again, it’s the battle of the Greeks, where Queen Gorgo of Sparta and Themistocles take on the mighty King Xerxes and his commander Artemisia.
Most of this new installment leans on the Themistocles and his smart moves. Can he save Greeks from destruction? Will Artemisia realize that just strategy and force won’t work against the mighty Themistocles?
300: Rise of an Empire also has Xerxes, who with his stunning number of piercings and standout dialogues take away a few scenes for himself.
In terms of performances, Sullivan Stapleton catches your attention and keeps the audiences hooked with his Themistocles, but it’s Eva Green, who is superb as the vamp and warrior princess, with the best outfits to her credit.
Her magnetic villain act keeps you glued, as you wonder what might have been missed in this sequel. As the proceedings move, you may miss Gerard Butler for a few scenes.
The grand scale of this installment shows all over, with some high CGI effects, while you can easily spot the reddish tone and mood of this movie throughout.
Although it’s not as powerful as expected, the movie does retain its charm to some extent, much credit of which should be given to Green.
If you are heading to the theatre with the mind of watching the brutal fight, rest assured you won’t be disappointed.