| by Jessica Beasley | 3/30/07 | 215 views |
What with the highly anticipated releases of both 300 and God of War 2, it seems like we’ve been inundated lately with media devoted to the bloodier side of Classical mythology. But are either of these offerings divine enough to sate our godly tastes?
I, unfortunately, had rather high expectations for 300 when I went to go see it, and, as is customary when a movie is hyped too much, I left the theater slightly disappointed. Just like the release of Hostel last winter, 300 promises a heaping helping of explicit violence which it never delivers. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of blood, but the film hardly deserves the title of “gorefest” that people seem to like to throw around these days. Maybe I’m just spoiled by being a fan of Asian cinema (which is rather extreme and relentless in its depiction of blood ‘n guts), but most of the special effects seemed far too exaggerated and fake to hold my interest for long. However, despite this (and the historical inaccuracy, which is to be expected), I still enjoyed the film immensely, and I know quite a few people who adored it enough for repeat viewings. It’s still an attention grabbing action movie, the acting is spot on, there’s humor, and in the final scene the movie culminates with a sense of pride that resonates in every member of Western culture.
As for God of War 2, which I picked up just before break and beat shortly afterward, I was simply amazed. The first game in the now series stunned me with its gorgeous graphics, which I once thought impossible on the PS2, as well as the innovative gameplay that utilized every single button on the controller, the fun multi-waved boss battles that weren’t won simply by hitting something over and over, and, of course, the puzzles. The second installment still keeps all the classic attributes of the original title, but offers even more. The environments are still varied and ornate, the story is (if possible) more epic, the music still causes a dramatic surge of the blood, and the puzzles are back in full force; however, while God of War only contained about three proper boss battles, God of War 2 throws a boss at you every hundred feet, as well as a slew of “demi-bosses” who are sure to keep you entertained as well. There’s a whole second disk full of extras if you desire more, and the extra costumes have received an upgrade as well (“Cod of War” appears to be the popular favorite).
So after fully exploring both the latest Spartan epics, I highly endorse God of War 2 and encourage seeing 300. For the latter I considered suggesting waiting until it came out on DVD, but for a movie like this you really need to see it on the big screen to appreciate the full effect—an Imax, if at all possible.
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