I didn't stick around to chat with you guys, so I thought I'd see what you thought. For me, all of the machismo chest beating was a bit too much. I love a good battle and motivational speech as much as the next guy, but damn . . .
And the gratuitous use of slow-mo was killing me.
Other than that, it was kind of fun.
YES! What did I miss?
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS.... (Fill in the blank) Crap? Not worth seeing? Music video greatness? Cheesy as hell?
I think Randy was the one who rolled with the punches best (his expectations weren't real high), but the rest of us were pretty let down. For my own part, I found it interesting to look at, but in kind of a clinical, detached way. Maybe I've seen too many Bravehearts and Lords of the Ring, but the cliches of the big-battle genre aren't doing anything for me these days (and this movie had 'em all; "HOLD THE LINE!!!").
ReplyDeleteThe overwrought demonization of freaks, cripples, and dark-skinned people was also a bit much.
On the other hand, the post-movie conversation at IHOP was tremendously entertaining (and possibly terrifying to the waitress), so you guys did miss that.
Yes, the waitress at IHOP is, I believe, CONVINCED we are a quartet of gay lovers. CONVINCED. I personally thought the movie was bad. Boring, even. Stupid speeches, lame action, a romance subplot that not only sucked ass but doesn't even make sense for Spartans if you know anything about history (and I checked the graphic novel, Randy, that mention of love is barely there at all), and mutant freak after mutant freak. Just read the graphic novel, it's way better, or better yet, borrow a copy of the novel Gates of Fire from Dave or me and read that. It is actually excellent.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see these comments. I personally was not thrilled with the movie. Visually, it was fairly stunning, a bit self-indulgent (look what we can do!) But the writing was for crap. The motivational speeches left me missing Pullman's Presidential speech in Independence Day. (Although not Costner's in Robin Hood). I was bored. Had I not been with a very funny friend of mine, it would have been a waste of time.
ReplyDelete>>The motivational speeches left me missing Pullman's Presidential speech in Independence Day.
ReplyDeleteGood call. And speaking of that speech, I was always bothered by the big wrap up to it: "Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
The repetition of "day" just seems redundant. Like, "This is the day we're going to kick some alien ass today." C'mon, were there no speechwriters after the aliens cooked the cities?
It's a little known fact that speechwriters are always killed first in alien invasions. Nobody knows why.
ReplyDelete