Prior to 300, Zack Snyder established himself as a director with his 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. But it was Snyder’s 2006 adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 comic book that elevated his career and allowed him to go on to direct Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and a bunch of direct-to-Netflix flicks. Without 300, none of those other movies would have happened.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the sequel to 300, which was called 300: Rise of an Empire. Snyder co-wrote the script, but he stepped aside from the director’s chair and allowed Noam Murro to bring the movie to fruition eight years after the original film. However, Rise of an Empire didn’t get the same kind of acclaim that its predecessor did, and it was more of a modest hit than a blockbuster. But now that 300: Rise of an Empire is available to stream on Netflix alongside the first 300 movie, it’s time to share the four reasons why you should watch it in September.
Sullivan Stapleton is an underrated action star
Gerard Butler did not reprise his role as King Leonidas for Rise of an Empire except for repurposed footage from the first 300. To fill the void left by Butler, Sullivan Stapleton was cast as Themistocles, a general from Athens who attempts to rally the Greek forces against the invading Persian army.
Butler’s physique from 300 may dwarf Stapleton’s, but it gives Themistocles a more relatable body and he seems like a genuine underdog rather than some kind of Greek god given human form. Stapleton has had a very under the radar action career, including the British series Strike Back and Blindspot on NBC. But he brings a real sense of humanity to his take on Themistocles, as well as credible physicality when the action gets started. According to IMDB, Stapleton hasn’t been in an action film since 2017’s Renegades. He really deserves more chances, based on this movie alone.
Eva Green gives a phenomenal performance
Stapleton may get top billing, but 300: Rise of an Empire is Eva Green’s movie. Green has rarely given a bad performance, but she’s absolutely incredible as Artemisia, the power behind the throne for the Persian army. It’s almost impossible to look away from Green as she exudes strength and a maniacal desire for revenge against the Greeks.
The film does explore Artemisia’s tragic backstory and gives Green some layers to play. But for the most part, she revels in being the film’s ultimate villain. There’s nothing that Artemisia won’t do to claim victory, and she’s very convincingly seductive when she tries to get Themistocles on her side. This film is ultimately about the conflict between them, but you may find yourself rooting for Artemisia instead of Themistocles.
The action is incredible
The first 300 got a lot of mileage out of its $65 million budget, but it’s obvious from the start that Rise of an Empire had a lot more money to work with. The fights have a much larger scale, including battles at sea that initially go very badly for the Greek navy. There are some stylistic flourishes that will remind you of Snyder’s work on the original movie.
But the most surprising thing in this film is that Murro might actually be better at staging action than Snyder is. Rise of an Empire‘s battles are thrilling and easy to follow, which isn’t something anyone can say about Snyder’s work in 300 or his later work in the DCEU.
It brings the story full circle
The sequel 300: Rise of an Empire pulls off the neat trick of fitting into the narrative of the original film while adding more backstory and context before moving beyond the events of 300. In short, it’s a prequel, a mid-quel, and a sequel all in one movie. Only a handful of performers from 300 returned, including Game of Thrones‘ Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo, Rodrigo Santoro as King Xerxes, and Andrew Tiernan as the traitor, Ephialtes, who finally answers for his crimes.
Because of Green’s overpowering presence, Santoro’s God-King Xerxes comes off as a lesser power even when we see his origin in this film. But Headey gets to directly link the two movies through her interactions with Stapleton’s Themistocles. Gorgo doesn’t want to give Themistocles the aid he needs even when they face a common foe. Regardless, that extended setup pays off later in the film as the city states of Greece unite. There could have perhaps been one final 300 movie, but it wasn’t really necessary. Rise of an Empire has a satisfying conclusion that justifies its existence as a sequel to a classic action flick.
Watch 300: Rise of an Empire on Netflix.
