300 - 2006

The second of Frank Miller's movies to make the list, and the seond graphic novel. 300 follows the story of King Leonidas I, a Spartan king who, when faced with the overwhelming numbers of Xerxes 1.2 million man army and Sparta's reluctance to commit to a war during their holiday, led 300 men north to a mountain pass at Thermopylae and inflicted twenty to thirty thousand casualties on Xerxes inexperienced soldiers. Remembered as one of teh most heroic last stands in history, Leonidasheld out for three days before being betrayed by a Greek named Ephialties, who led Xerxes to a path that could encircle the Spartans.

While it doesn't have much in terms of dialogue, it features a plethora of one liners that have been exhausted on internet forums. Leonidas can be credited with most of these screamed lines, but a few others, including definite badass and probable psycopath Stelios,(Based on a real Spartan present at the battle) who is excited at a chance to fight in the shade perhaps a little too much.(You are wearing next to nothing man, it can't be that hot) David Wenham, as Dilios the sole surviving Spartan, provides the only lines that resemble actual dialogue as he narrates the tale. If it wasn't for this 300 would certainly be the greatest comic to film, since it boasts the most spectacular battle scenes of any swords and sandal flick ever made. If you saw this at the theatres like I did, you probably wlaked out with the urge to impale something with a six foot spear, throw your shield into its chest and slice it to bits with your sword for good measure; and if you're like me and currently not in prison, you found the will power to restrain yourself, or at least not get caught.



"The enemy outnumber us a paltry three to one, good odds for any Greek. This day we rescue a world from mysticism and tyranny and usher in a world brighter than anything we can imagine."