Are there more movies like this I should check out? Comment below! GLADIATOR: ruclips.net/video/USI4aG_j-ds/видео.html BRAVEHEART: ruclips.net/video/ZW_rkKJXFZY/видео.html
A couple of under-rated ones: 'The Eagle' w Channing Tatum (It's actually a decent movie and he did really well in it) and 'The 13th Warrior' w Antonio Bandares.
Sin city is another one based on a Frank Miller novel and is really good. Also directed by Miller is the underrated movie The Spirit that features Samuel L Jackson as the villain.
Jen, from what I understand, Leonidas chose older men to go to battle because they all had adult sons who could carry on the family line. They did all know they were going to die. Their fight was a delaying action so the rest of Greece could get ready to meet the Persians in battle.
Also, given in Sparta only 2 sorts of death earned you a tombstone as a form of immortalising your passing from this world, women who died while giving birth and men who died fighting for Sparta, and as the army was divided in smaller companies who were only accepting recruits invited by members, one had to demonstrate skill, courage and ability to get invited and therefore have more chances to face combat so as years closed to the age limits permitting active duty, veterans fought the hardest making the best of their few remaining chances.
it also has the added effect of every warrior being a veteran. A people that live and breathe combat, and only the most experienced and deadly got the honor of being a royal guard.
It should be noted that this is an apocryphal claim. There is no historical evidence that he actually did that. Spartans did care about replacing lost men in general, though. One of the last things Leonidas famously told Gorgo before leaving was to "bear sons". Leonidas himself was indeed older, as he was 60 years old at the time.
"May you live forever" words from Lenoidas to the traitor actually cut very deep, since like one of them said, to die in battle is the greatest glory Spartan could achieve
The ultimate Spartan insult. Leonidas gave him a chance to prove himself, even if not the way he wanted, and he threw it away; just like his father’s equipment, as well as his pride. It’s a deleted scene that shows him trying to literally throw his life away after the rejection, by jumping off the cliff, only to survive the landing. He definitely earned Leonidas’ curse from that alone.
I interpret it as "living forever" means he'll be remembered as a traitor for all time. Here we are now, still discussing him as a traitor, so he still lives on in shame.
Another great line is when he says to the traitor "I hope you will live forever" - such an insult in a culture where true glory is finding death in battle
The Battle of Plataea happened the year following Thermopolye where "Dilios" would meet his end. So while it is correct that he was shunned as a coward and did indeed redeem himself it was for only a year that he suffered such a slight.
I understand the premise about being shunned for not dying in battle in Sparta but they are soldiers first, and he was following the direct orders of his king, he showed his loyalty by not dying and following the orders of his commander and bringing his final orders to the council and his people. But mob think is mob think no matter what century you are in.
18:29 In documentary about the real Battle of Thermopylae, a historian said that as Xerxes' men fell dead or wounded in front of the Spartan phalanx, their bloody bodies created an uneven, unstable and slippery surface that made it very difficult the Persians to advance or even keep their balance as they fought. As he put it "The bodies of men who are dead, the bodies of men who are dying, and most importantly, the bodies of men who are IN THE WAY!"
17-year old me saw this movie in the theaters after our final final exam of senior year in High School in the Philippines. I went to an all-boys high school, and most us in the student body went to nearby mall to see it. Being free from high school and having to study for finals, it was one of the funnest and loudest theaters I was in. The A-wooing was off the chains 😂 Tom Cruise’s character in The Last Samurai makes reference to the event this movie is based on, the battle of Thermopylae, before he and Katsumoto faced the Japanese army.
21:34 The Immortals concealed their faces so that when one died or retired, he could be immediately replaced by another who coudn't be distingiushed from him, so it appeared as if they never lost a man.
In 2006, if you didn't go to the gym, this movie made you want to start. If you watch any "Behind the Scenes" documentaries... YES, all these actors got absolutely SHREDDED for this role. Gerard Butler did an issue of Mens Health magazine talking about the grueling process of becoming Leonidas.
@@fannybuster SOME of the abs were enhanced with makeup, but they we’re definitely real. I can’t remember if it was in the dvd extras or a separate interview but the cast workouts were insane.
@@jenmurrayxoThe main crew went through a grueling training regime consisting out of 300 reps and a strict dieet. They had to do Pull-ups - 25 reps, Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps, Push-ups - 50 reps, 24" box jumps - 50 reps, Floor wipers - 50 reps, Clean-and-press with 36lbs kettlebell - 50 reps, Pull-ups - 25 reps, all without a break between them and as fast as possible, one actor manage to do them in 18 minutes, and 11 seconds. They than also used some makeup effects like shadowing to make the abs stand out more.
I love this movie... (caveat; I know it's way WAY off of actual history... but the basis is true). I've always loved the phrase "come home with your shield, or on it". A Greek soldier would carry his large body-shield into battle. If he was a coward and ran away, he would drop his shield. If he was a courageous soldier, then he would either come home with his shield, or, in death, be carried home by his fellows ON his shield. Coming home without your shield was the mark of a coward. So, "With your shield, or on it" had a deeper meaning. I have read that the exchange "Our arrows will blot out the sun", "Then, we shall fight in the shade", is based on true history, as well. Or, at least written a good deal closer to the actual events of the Battle of Thermopylae than the comic or movie was....
It’s critical everyone realizes this true event is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller. These guys sacrificed themselves to buy time for Sparta. As this film tells us the year after Sparta defeated Persia in battle. The sequel is 300: rise of an empire. Rhinos can’t be tamed, therefore impossible to use in battles. In the 4th century bc, Alexander the Great was still pissed at Persia; therefore he invaded and became their king. I highly recommend the 1960’s version of Spartacus directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick 🎉
Jen, I thought you were Canadian… the guy who says “our arrows will blot out the sun” was a literal federal Member of Parliament here - I am not joking
In The Last Samurai Tom Cruise made mention of this battle he said there were 300 Warriors at Thermopylae and this is the battle that he was talking about. It's a known historical fact, that there was 300 Spartans.
The Spartans were known throughout the Ancient world to have a sardonic wit, Philip II of Macedonia After invading Greece, Philip sent a threatening message to the Spartans: "You are advised to submit without delay, for if I bring my army on your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people and raze your city." The Spartans replied with one word: "If" , neither Philip nor his son Alexander the Great attempted to capture the city. Philip is also recorded as approaching Sparta on another occasion and asking whether he should come as friend or foe; the Spartan reply was "Neither".
Have you never heard of the 300 Spartans? This is, at its core, historical. In fact, many of the quotes "Fight in the shade", "Dine in hell", "Come back with your shield or on it", etc are 100% historical from this period.
From everything I've read, the Spartans were great warriors, though much of the stories of their training were embellished - but also the Spartans encouraged this :) one Spartan warrior was worth like 12 of any other warrior. I wish I could find the article, but there used to be one online (Google is proving useless, maybe the site is gone) that documented all the actors getting in shape. They all worked out together and it was basically a challenge against them all, and against themselves - whoever made the most personal gains was the "winner" for that week. Which was great because it meant the ones least in shape could make the most gains, and the ones already in shape had to REALLY push themselves. So the abs you see, they're real (though maybe enhanced by visual lighting effects). Love your reaction to this!
Also I vote NO on Game of Thrones. We made it to like the third season, but whoever wrote it, they must hate women. They CONSTANTLY use rape and sexual assault as a means of plot device and/or character development. Like, we're supposed to believe in magic and dragons, but not that women can't be treated like garbage.
21:02 For the primary actors, they went through a BRUTAL 6 month training camp to get abso-frakking-lutely ripped. There is a reason in fitness there is now something called "The Spartan Circuit," as the trainers that made the camp for the actors released a slightly modified, gentler (o_O!) version for the general public. So, for Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, Dominic Wenham, etc, what you see on screen is real, with a little clever makeup (sheen more than anything) accent the muscles in the spotlights used for filming. The non-speaking Spartan roles, aka the rest of the 300, they put out a casting call for extras that were extremely fit with low body fat and for some of them, there was a little CGI or practical makeup enhancement
An interesting theory as to why this real-life event had fantasy elements: 300 is told by a Spartan (Delios), the soldier Leonidas sent away before the final battle, as a story to motivate other Spartans before they charge at the ending credits, which is the real life battle of Plataea, where a united Greek force decimated the Persian army. This is why the film contains so many fantastical elements such as bombs, elephants, giant monsters, why the immortals had fangs, etc. The whole story is propaganda told to soldiers to make the Spartans seem superpowered and the Persians evil monsters. The implication is that much of it is exaggerated for dramatic effect so the soldiers would fight harder.
My favorite thing about historical pieces like this, regardless of some factual inaccuracies they may have, is seeing how utterly incomprehensibly different humans lives were then compared to now. It really is absolutely nuts how different things were in ancient times. We live in such like, safety and civility now, and it stems almost entirely from the fact that essentially all the world has been "conquered" now, and back then it hadn't been. My favorite thing about this film though, is the theme of laying one's life down to stand up to tyrannical men, and not because of loyalty to your own nation, but because of honor. "The world will know that free men stod against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over - that even a god-king can bleed." "Remember us, he said to me. That was his hope. Should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be. May all our voices - whisper to you - from the ageless stone. Tell a Spartan, passerby - that here by Spartan law, we lie."
King Xerxes wasn't tyrannical, though. At least, no more than King Leonidas. Also, the concept of nation wasn't really a thing back then. People fought because of duty. Sparta operated on a slave economy. This idea of "free men fighting against tyranny" is Americanised nonsense. Both Greeks and Persians owned slaves, and both were imperialistic.
@@noxteryn it's not Americanized nonsense, it a historical piece that maintains contemporary values. Art is supposed to be a mirror to society. We aren't going to make art today, that reflects the values of thousands of years ago, that not the purpose of art.
@@BadassRaiden I'm not denying it's art. Anyone can create whatever art they want. But art is not beyond criticism, and it's certainly not beyond basic common sense. The culture depicted is completely nonsensical and hugely influenced by American rhetoric: "A new age is upon us, an age of freedom!" This is literally nonsense. Leonidas would never say such a thing, as that statement would mean nothing to him or the people of Ancient Greek cultures. And yes, you can create whatever art you want, with whatever values you want. You can make a movie about Nigerian Samurai fighting against Italian Vikings and quoting Hitler. It would still be nonsense. What you are describing here is called historical white-washing. The Greeks weren't the "good guys" and Persians weren't the "bad guys". It wasn't "free men standing up to tyranny". It was one superpower fighting another superpower. That's why it's Americanised nonsense. Because it promotes this notion of exceptionalism, of being the hero of your own story, and that your side is always fighting for "muh freedom" while the other side "hates freedom". I can assure you, here in Greece, pretty much the only people who liked the movie's depictions of the events, cultures, and peoples, were ultranationalist conservatives.
@@noxteryn not saying that it's not beyond criticism, but the criticism needs to be valid and I just don't think your criticism is. This is not meant to be a historical piece. It's a historical *set* piece, injected with contemporary values. Leonidas isn't meant to actually represent the Leonidas of the past. He represents what we might interpret a leader like him existing in contemporary society. Likewise, this isnt whitewashing because it's not meant to be an accurate historical piece anyways, and that is the primary aspect of white washing; changing or altering history. This isn't meant to be history. It took one legend, the tale of the 300 Spartans, and injected it with contemporary values. That's it. I don't agree that "an age of freedom" is strictly American rhetoric. In fact, I think it's quite a universally popular sentiment, considering how since then, there has been an ever increasing rise of standing up to authoritarianism around the globe. Again, the Greeks may not have been the good guys, and the Persians bad guys but this film was never meant to depict them as historically accurate. I also don't really agree that it promotes exceptionalism either. Persians are the only antagonist, and I don't find that they meaningfully and purposefully attempted to portray Spartans as being exceptional compared to the Persians. Except of course, in their fighting ability but if we are being honest, most historians already view and talk about the phalanx as an exceptionally well and effective combat tactic. I will concede to your last statement though. I have no doubt that the majority of people in your country who enjoyed the film were ultranationalist conservatives, because the majority of people who enjoyed in my country, the US, were also ultranationalist conservatives. But I think a lot of that has to do with our biases, as does anything. I mean if we are honest, typically ANY film that even utters the word freedom, is gonna make conservatives go crazy for it. I however, not being a conservative, did not interpret it say, the way you did, as having all these Americanized undertones. I took it for what it was, a film, a piece of art. Not a biography. Not a historical recreation of events. Now it might be the case that I didn't know enough of the actual history to feel a way about it similar to you, however I did know that Sparta was a slave economy when I first saw the film. But I didn't care about this internal contradictions between the story and the history because again, I knew this was not supposed to be a historically accurate recreation of events and people. I just took the film for what it was, and moved by its message and sentiment. I want elaborate further on the one piece that I think you were closest on, yet still incorrect. That is of course, the critique of whitewashing. There was a film that just came out, cakes The Woman King with Viola Davis. So so so many liberal voices online have accused this film of whitewashing, because it left out the very crucial fact that the society it's attempting to portray was, like Sparta, a slave society. But again, like 300, this film is not meant to be a historical piece, a biography, or a recreation of events. It had a story to tell, and it wanted to also wanted to expose audiences to this ancient society. So it used this culture to tell that story, and aspects of that culture did not help tell the story it wanted to tell, so it left them out. Including them having a slave based society didn't add to the story, nor did it necessarily take away from the story. It would have just created unnecessary internal contradictions and gotten in the way of the story. The point of going into a movie is to always remember that it's a movie. Suspend your disbelief yes, but always remember in the back of your mind that what you are seeing isn't real, and isn't supposed to be interpreted as accurate. It would have been one thing, if at the beginning of 300 it said, "Based on a True Story," but it didn't. Even then though, there are certain liberties film makers and screen writers take with source material for pieces that are actually based on true stories. It's like saying Braveheart whitewashed history too, because William Wallace, from the little we know about him, didn't come from a commoner family. He was a highly respected, well known knight of Scotland's army. He did have a wife he married in secret, nor was she murdered. I mean kilts weren't even invented in Scotland yet during that time period, and they certainly didn't just wear leather and fabrics for protection against well armored English soldiers. The scots were just as armored. But it's clear why certain filmmaking liberties were taken. They put them in kilts despite them not existing in that time period, because kilts are easily identifiable Scottish garments. They made Wallace come from a poor working family because they wanted to tell a story that even those who are viewed as powerless can rise to become powerful enough to fight power. It's easier to articulate oppression when oneside looks more well off, more protected, more capable than the other side, which is why they made the Scots not have steel armor like the English. That also helps to distinguish between them, and it also leads credence to the underdog sentiment, that the scots prevailed despite being outnumbered and out equipped. It's not white washing though. White washing is a *deliberate* attempt, and that is the key word used in the actual definition of white washing - to purposefully portray a historical events, society, individuals, or culture inaccurately, in an attempt to hide certain pieces of information. None of these film, including 300, did that. Anyone who gets upset when historical set pieces are not accurate, as far as I'm concerned, takes films too seriously.
It was a historical event... Then Greece was not invaded and the cradle of Civilization was preserved. Thanks King Leonidas! The Super Hero of real life.
actually.... Leonidas, 300 Spartans, 400 Helots and 1,100 Boeotians were annihilated at the Battle of Thermopylae. this allowed the Persians to take control of Central & Southern Greece and to destroy the city of Athens. in the real world, it was the Athenians who kicked Persia's ass at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and Salamis in 480 BC. the Spartans helped out in 479 BC at Plataea -- the final battle of the Greco-Persian Wars. later on in the 330s BC, Alexander the Great of Macedonia wiped out the Persian Empire.
Such a stylish movie and meme-tastic glad you enjoyed the narration Jen it's a cool touch 👌 so many great captions and your wonderful little touches in this one and a wisdom nugget 🎉 I take that as an early birthday gift 😉 . The score is epic indeed which I knew you would appreciate Jen 👌 star trek , Beverley hills cop 2 and 300 now that's a good trio I've watched today Ty Jen you're friggin awesome 🔥
I will always love this movie! Got it on both DVD and BluRay - pure epicness!! great reaction by the way, I have just joined your channel - we are connected now!!
Four months late, but this is probably one of the best movies ever. It is a comic book turned into a movie inspired by history. This was a masterpiece.
Jen, you might recall in The Last Samurai, Algren told Katsumoto about the battle of Thermopylae and Katsumoto asked what happened to the warriors at Thermopylae. “Dead to the last man” Algren replied.
3:41 Would love to see you cover Game Of Thrones. It's a brilliant show and would likely be quite popular (as well as a cool potential team-up for you and Tara, is she hasn't watched it either). 👍✌❤
Rewatching this only enhances my admiration of how wonderful you are at content creation you certainly deserve to be praised every single day you are incredibly talented and super funny the text you add to the video are so good 🔥 "never climb in candles " a wisdom nugget that everyone should abide by 😀 . I laughed so much watching this again with you Jen I was snacking on marshmallows and almost spat them out on several occasions due to your amazing humour 😂 definitely yes to game of thrones and house of the dragon too . I actually watched season 1 of game of thrones and then binged all the books they are incredible highly recommend 👍 cheers for another jensational fun time Jen 🔥💙
You've forgotten the reference to these Greeks in the movie The Last Samurai. Algren spoke to Katsumoto about the 300 at Thermopylae, and how they died to the last man.
The Spartans were absolute elite. The training began as a child and was absolutely full of deprivation. The thinking was that of a military state, perfect training, absolute trust in their comrades, first-class equipment (e.g. breastplates not shown in the film, etc.) they resembled a tank on legs rather than chains. But the equipment alone does not explain the immense success. The location was perfectly chosen, the Persians could not flank the Spartans and a phalanx of these fighters (absolute elite) was almost insurmountable. Psychology was also an important factor imagine having to attack this bulwark as an opponent when several of your own warriors are already lying dead on the ground. Battles of any kind are often decided in the mind, and until the betrayal all went well for the Spartans and the other Greek fighters. It is not for nothing that they are the models for many military and police special and special units.
So, the Immortals were probably a real military unit that was basically the Imperial Guard for the Persian Empire, though there's so much speculation, hearsay, and rumor about them that it's hard to tell what's real and what's made up. However, we do know that as in the movie, they were also sometimes used in battle instead of just acting as bodyguards and palace guards. They were named the Immortals because the unit was 10,000 men strong, and whenever one would die, get wounded, be too ill to fight, etc, they were immediately replaced by another soldier, thus always keeping the unit strength at 10,000 men. So the troops themselves weren't immortal, but the unit was. They actually do live up to that name though, as some of the traditions, symbols, insignia, etc. have been used multiple times throughout history by military units from the area that was known as Persia, such as the Byzantine Empire. Even today, there are two brigades in the Iranian army that use the insignia and symbols of the Persian Immortals.
Spartans legend and myth is probably the most wrong and misunderstood of any civilization or people. They weren’t against retreating, they didn’t want to die in battle or seek a “glorious” death. They enslaved an entire group of people to do the things they didn’t want to and treated them harshly, homosexuality was seen as common and fine back then, so the “boy lover” comment is a modern invention. There’s much more I could say, but Sparta is not at all how this movie or any other portrays and certainly not as most people think. Athens by comparison would have been a much better place to live, especially as a slave. Athens was famous for how well they treated slaves. Still, this movie is bad ass and a fun watch!
when Michael Fasbender cut off that commanders arm and you said "it belongs to the wall now." i haven't viewed that scene in that sort of way ever and it made me laugh so hard i cant explain why. Thanks for that.
It certainly was based on a graphic novel. Sin City is of the same concept. However this actually happened. Not in this stylised adaptation of course but 300 brave Greeks did hold a narrow passage against half a million Persian soldiers. True courage is never forgotten and it's why we remember the story over 2000 years later.
This was based on a comic, not history. Good story but lest you confuse it with history because there was a battle of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) with 300 Spartans. The persians did NOT have war rhinoceroses. They used no elephants. There was no storm - the Persian fleet was wrecked by the Athenian navy. (It makes sense the narrator does not mention that since he is Spartan; Sparta and Athens were like the U.S. and U.S.S.R.)
I know that I don't have a popular opinion here, however, I am a fan of the Zack Snyder films. I would absolutely encourage you to watch more of his films. As to the history behind the 300 Spartans, the historical battle was very different. The 300 Spartans lined up 50 men wide and 6 men deep becoming an impossible wall to push through. The other Greeks that were there fired arrows over them killing the enemy that approached. The battle is proof that superior technology and tactics can overcome superior numbers. Technology played a huge part in this. The shields, weapons, helmets and armor (Yes they wore chest armor} of the Spartans were made of bronze where as the Persians wore no armor, had swords made of copper, and shields made from reeds. The Spartan spears and Greek arrows had an easy time slaying the enemy. The Persian troops that were able to get in range of Spartans found their swords breaking on the Spartan shields and armor. After three days of fighting, the Greek traitor Ephialtes led the Persians around the Greeks to the rear. Surrounded on 3 sides, the Spartans died. In addition to the Spartans, there were roughly 1,600 other Greeks that died after being flanked. Ephialtes today means nightmare in Greek. As to the Oracle; The Oracle of Delphi prophesized to Leonidus that in order for Sparta to survive, he would have to die. Knowing this, he took 300 men that all had adult sons with him so that their blood lines would survive as they marched to their death.
The location is critical. The Battle of Thermopylae is a textbook example of defenders using terrain as a "force multiple", protecting flanks (side) and rear, as well removing or reducing the overwhelming size advantage. In real life, this is how 7,000 Greeks (300 Spartans + allies) held off an estimated 120,000-300,000 Persians for 3 days.
Definitely some special effects on the abs, but Gerrard Butler was still ripped when this came out. He was the cover model for Men's Health magazine around this time.
Gerard Butler showed up at MSU for a spartan football game. He lead the chant at halftime to about 80k fans in the stadium. It gives me chills thinking about it now!
“May you live forever” Oof. Also! Watch Hero starring Jet Li, tony Leung, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi, and Maggie Cheung. Similar vibes as this movie with a Wuxia twist.
This movie is based on a graphic novel, not pure history. The initiation for Spartans to become citizens was not to kill a wolf, but rather to kill a slave. Sparta was the military society and had conquered another Greek city-state turning its citizens into helots, or slaves. And the training was actually more brutal than shown here. On the other hand, they had armor. The Spartan hop light was heavy infantry.
“300” is specifically based off of Frank Miller’s graphic novel. But the Battle of Thermopylae itself is actual history. Another great dramatization of the event is called “Gates of Fire” by Steven Pressfield. If I remember correctly, at least in said book, the oracle gave a somewhat more optimistic prophecy: “Sparta will either lose her king or her freedom.” Hence Leonidas’ line in the film about praying for Persian stupidity. 34:22 WAIT for it… 35:02 …THERE it is. 😎 And while Leonidas didn’t actually KILL Xerxes, which would have been an amazing coup for history, he did something arguably worse. By bleeding, Xerxes isn’t an untouchable god anymore. He’s lost that forever.
Oh my, the Serious Girl Spectacles will be working overtime on this particular Beefcake Parade. 😍 Until the horrible violence starts in earnest, at least... 😨🥺😱
Jen, you must go for 'Sin City' (2005), another Frank Miller black and white film masterpiece based on his graphic novel, starred by Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Benicio del Toro, Elijah Wood and Brittany Murphy (directed alongside with Robert Rodríguez and Quentin Tarantino).
5:36 climbing in sandals. Not a good idea 😂 20:56 asking the important questions since 2023. 23:39 that's right Xerxes, suck it! 24:35 taking notes, battle notes. 27:00 well how can he say no to this. This is uh ... Persuasive. 27:52 yeah but they're kicking butt. Oh but they're about to get slaughtered. 28:42 well he's terrible. 28:46 think I might've said he was handsome before (3:49). If so I retract that. You have to be a kind person for me to find you handsome. 28:58 that's a good attitude. Holy. 32:20 this guy's the worst. 32:46 - approving nods - 33:20 traitor! 33:34 no this guy needs to go, cut off his head! 33:40 Never. 34:00 he will never yield. 34:48 😲😮 I am shocked! 35:05 it was a move! 37:34 10,000! Lena Headey was also in Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles which was a TV show picking up from after Terminator 2 which ran for 2 seasons as Sarah. Was pretty good, only seen 1 person react to it.
The other "filmed like the Graphic Novel" film is Sin City which came out the year before this. I personally liked Sin City better than this but both are great. The sequel to both Sin City and 300 are fine, just definitely not as good as the originals.
On that last battlefield, Plataea, nearly 2,502 years ago, Xerxes army was finally defeated by a combined force of warriors from Sparta, and many other Greek city-states. Accounts of the numbers on both sides differ greatly, but the general consensus of the research into what happened, is that the Greeks were outnumbered fairly significantly.
This movie is based on an actual historical event, the battle of Thermopylae which took place around 450BC. Men love this movie not just for the action but also how it portrays the characteristics that they admire; courage, honour and self sacrifice for a greater cause. It’s a great movie that will end up becoming an enduring classic.
And since the entire movie is basically the campfire story the narrator is telling before a (bigger) battle, lots of the fantastical/paranormal stuff begins to make sense: it's a soldier embellishing some of the details to make the story more compelling...
Excellent observation along the lines of what I was thinking, and the stylistic elements and photography give it a feeling of it being a campfire tail.
Stylistic as hell, but even so - a fairly accurate representation of the Battle of Thermopylae. Leonidas' personal bodyguard plus a few thousand extra Greeks did in fact hold off a phenomenally massive Persian force. Almost up there with Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon in terms of ancient historical events that affected the course of modern life
Maybe even more accurate as the stylized nature of the movie is like how I've heard Spartans had a way with words and intimidation back then. The hype of the pre-fight trash talk where it robs the enemy of their heart and will to fight. Reputation and wit. Action hero one-liners 2,500 years ago.
@@jayeisenhardt1337 Interesting that you mentioned the trash talk, because some of the lines Leonidas says in the movie are DIRECTLY translated from accounts of the battle itself.
When he told the traitor “may you live forever” made him feel bad because Spartans are not supposed to live forever but to gain honor in dying in battle…
You've not watched Game of Thrones?? Yes, Yes, YES... You've gotta watch that show! Also, yes, Lena Headey was indeed the Queen you referenced in GOT. She was masterful in that role.
GoT is a LONG haul for a reactor... Totally worth it, IMHO, but, it IS a big commitment... I can't think of another reactor I'd like to see do it more than Jen, though!
Jen: "No mercy!" "I feel like I have the soul of a Spartan!" 😃👍❤ Me: Yes, I think you just might. Perhaps you have some Spartan blood in your family heritage. 🤗
The First of the 3 MOJOR battles for Greece, happened around 490 BC when the Battle of Marathon took place, when the Persians under King Darius after sailing for months landed on the beach of Athens, the Athenians immediately attacked them and slaughtered a good many of them BEFORE they had a chance to get off the boats and get organized, during this battle, King Darius was shot with an arrow, he died several days later, giving way for his son Prince Xerxes to become King Xerxes, and 10 years after his fathers death, he marched a HUGE army of more than 1,000,000 men to conquer the Greek city states of Sparta and Athens, this was the Battle of Thermopylae, where a few thousand Greeks from Acadia, Marathon, Lerna, Argos, and Tyrns led by 300 Spartans, stood and held the Thermopylae pass for 3 days, while this was going on, the Antenians led a few dozen ships from Athens, Argolis, and Trozeon into a battle on the sea, they were simialiarily outnumbered, when the Persians got behind the force holding Thermopylae Pass, all the rest of the Greeks left except what was left of the Spartans, who stayed behind to cover their escape, the 300 Spartans had inflicted so many casualties on the Persian army of more than 200,000, but in the end, all 300 Spartans minus 1 died at Thermopylae including King Leonidas, with his army hurt very badly by 300 Spartans, so that 1 year later at the battle of Platea, the ENTIRE Spartan army of 10,000 let a unified force of several Greek nation states consisting a total of an additional 40,000 Greeks, and charged Xerxes army of about 250,000 and killed about 90% of them, they drove the Persians back into what was originally their territory, today we know that country as Iran, but the event that motivated Greece to united was the sacrifice of King Leonidas and his 300 men that died at Thermopylae.
Are there more movies like this I should check out? Comment below!
GLADIATOR: ruclips.net/video/USI4aG_j-ds/видео.html
BRAVEHEART: ruclips.net/video/ZW_rkKJXFZY/видео.html
Shoot em up. Is a great action along with the punisher 2004
ZULU, Starring Michael Caine or LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Starring Peter O' Toole
A couple of under-rated ones: 'The Eagle' w Channing Tatum (It's actually a decent movie and he did really well in it) and 'The 13th Warrior' w Antonio Bandares.
yes please watch Game of Thrones!
Sin city is another one based on a Frank Miller novel and is really good. Also directed by Miller is the underrated movie The Spirit that features Samuel L Jackson as the villain.
Jen, from what I understand, Leonidas chose older men to go to battle because they all had adult sons who could carry on the family line. They did all know they were going to die. Their fight was a delaying action so the rest of Greece could get ready to meet the Persians in battle.
Also, given in Sparta only 2 sorts of death earned you a tombstone as a form of immortalising your passing from this world, women who died while giving birth and men who died fighting for Sparta, and as the army was divided in smaller companies who were only accepting recruits invited by members, one had to demonstrate skill, courage and ability to get invited and therefore have more chances to face combat so as years closed to the age limits permitting active duty, veterans fought the hardest making the best of their few remaining chances.
it also has the added effect of every warrior being a veteran. A people that live and breathe combat, and only the most experienced and deadly got the honor of being a royal guard.
It should be noted that this is an apocryphal claim. There is no historical evidence that he actually did that. Spartans did care about replacing lost men in general, though. One of the last things Leonidas famously told Gorgo before leaving was to "bear sons". Leonidas himself was indeed older, as he was 60 years old at the time.
@@noxteryn Leonidas in this film is only in his early 40's. (The story told about his killing the wolf "has been more than 30 years ago")
I love when the King looks to his Queen ... he knows his instinct may be wrong and needs affirmation of his path.
"May you live forever" words from Lenoidas to the traitor actually cut very deep, since like one of them said, to die in battle is the greatest glory Spartan could achieve
Why more people don’t call this out I don’t understand, such a good line.
Also he was a mutant
The ultimate Spartan insult. Leonidas gave him a chance to prove himself, even if not the way he wanted, and he threw it away; just like his father’s equipment, as well as his pride.
It’s a deleted scene that shows him trying to literally throw his life away after the rejection, by jumping off the cliff, only to survive the landing. He definitely earned Leonidas’ curse from that alone.
And he does live forever - for one word in Greek for "nightmare" is Ephialtes...
I interpret it as "living forever" means he'll be remembered as a traitor for all time. Here we are now, still discussing him as a traitor, so he still lives on in shame.
“THIS IS SPARTA” such an iconic line. Plus one of my top 10 favourite movies of all time.
Such a great movie!! ☺️👍
fun fact after an all day shoot to get that line right he asked for 1 more go and just let everything out and thus born a meme
@@the_ejj cool fact bro
I personally like "then we will fight in the shade" more. It has hidden strength and deep meaning to it.
Another great line is when he says to the traitor "I hope you will live forever" - such an insult in a culture where true glory is finding death in battle
The narrator in real life was shunned by Spartan society for years afterwards because he survived the battle. He eventually regained his honour.
He regained his honor by chopping down so many of the enemy in the battle that put an end to the Persian empire.
The Battle of Plataea happened the year following Thermopolye where "Dilios" would meet his end. So while it is correct that he was shunned as a coward and did indeed redeem himself it was for only a year that he suffered such a slight.
I understand the premise about being shunned for not dying in battle in Sparta but they are soldiers first, and he was following the direct orders of his king, he showed his loyalty by not dying and following the orders of his commander and bringing his final orders to the council and his people.
But mob think is mob think no matter what century you are in.
Not years. He died fighting bravely in the last battle depicted in the end of movie a year ago.
Because he ran. Not because he survived lol
18:29 In documentary about the real Battle of Thermopylae, a historian said that as Xerxes' men fell dead or wounded in front of the Spartan phalanx, their bloody bodies created an uneven, unstable and slippery surface that made it very difficult the Persians to advance or even keep their balance as they fought. As he put it "The bodies of men who are dead, the bodies of men who are dying, and most importantly, the bodies of men who are IN THE WAY!"
"Thermopylae, they say you can't walk this battlefield without getting blood on your toes."
Another Frank Miller adaptation you should check out is Sin City, its a perfect movie version of the source material : )
I'd like to see that!
@@jenmurrayxo
Watch the extended version if you can find it!
@@eddiejravannen meh, the theatre cut is the better imo of the two.
Yep, Sin City is a great film.
@@drew.168 Agreed, the theatrical version beats the extended version
17-year old me saw this movie in the theaters after our final final exam of senior year in High School in the Philippines. I went to an all-boys high school, and most us in the student body went to nearby mall to see it. Being free from high school and having to study for finals, it was one of the funnest and loudest theaters I was in. The A-wooing was off the chains 😂
Tom Cruise’s character in The Last Samurai makes reference to the event this movie is based on, the battle of Thermopylae, before he and Katsumoto faced the Japanese army.
21:34 The Immortals concealed their faces so that when one died or retired, he could be immediately replaced by another who coudn't be distingiushed from him, so it appeared as if they never lost a man.
27:23 "I am kind" basically seems to translate as "You owe mr, and don’t you forget it!!"
"I feel like I have the soul of a Spartan here!" - Jenmurraynidas.
In 2006, if you didn't go to the gym, this movie made you want to start.
If you watch any "Behind the Scenes" documentaries... YES, all these actors got absolutely SHREDDED for this role. Gerard Butler did an issue of Mens Health magazine talking about the grueling process of becoming Leonidas.
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@@fannybuster SOME of the abs were enhanced with makeup, but they we’re definitely real. I can’t remember if it was in the dvd extras or a separate interview but the cast workouts were insane.
@@jenmurrayxoThe main crew went through a grueling training regime consisting out of 300 reps and a strict dieet. They had to do Pull-ups - 25 reps, Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps, Push-ups - 50 reps, 24" box jumps - 50 reps, Floor wipers - 50 reps, Clean-and-press with 36lbs kettlebell - 50 reps, Pull-ups - 25 reps, all without a break between them and as fast as possible, one actor manage to do them in 18 minutes, and 11 seconds. They than also used some makeup effects like shadowing to make the abs stand out more.
I love this movie... (caveat; I know it's way WAY off of actual history... but the basis is true).
I've always loved the phrase "come home with your shield, or on it". A Greek soldier would carry his large body-shield into battle. If he was a coward and ran away, he would drop his shield. If he was a courageous soldier, then he would either come home with his shield, or, in death, be carried home by his fellows ON his shield. Coming home without your shield was the mark of a coward. So, "With your shield, or on it" had a deeper meaning.
I have read that the exchange "Our arrows will blot out the sun", "Then, we shall fight in the shade", is based on true history, as well. Or, at least written a good deal closer to the actual events of the Battle of Thermopylae than the comic or movie was....
GIVE THEM NOTHING!
BUT TAKE FROM THEM EVERYTHING!!!
It’s critical everyone realizes this true event is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller. These guys sacrificed themselves to buy time for Sparta. As this film tells us the year after Sparta defeated Persia in battle. The sequel is 300: rise of an empire. Rhinos can’t be tamed, therefore impossible to use in battles. In the 4th century bc, Alexander the Great was still pissed at Persia; therefore he invaded and became their king. I highly recommend the 1960’s version of Spartacus directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick 🎉
Jen, I thought you were Canadian… the guy who says “our arrows will blot out the sun” was a literal federal Member of Parliament here - I am not joking
In The Last Samurai Tom Cruise made mention of this battle he said there were 300 Warriors at Thermopylae and this is the battle that he was talking about. It's a known historical fact, that there was 300 Spartans.
...and a bunch of other guys...
THIS is what we’re doing now. Thanks, Jen, this is gonna be great!!
☺️👍
“She’s very strong, I like her.”
Watch. Game. Of. Thrones.
The Spartans were known throughout the Ancient world to have a sardonic wit, Philip II of Macedonia After invading Greece, Philip sent a threatening message to the Spartans: "You are advised to submit without delay, for if I bring my army on your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people and raze your city."
The Spartans replied with one word: "If" , neither Philip nor his son Alexander the Great attempted to capture the city. Philip is also recorded as approaching Sparta on another occasion and asking whether he should come as friend or foe; the Spartan reply was "Neither".
Have you never heard of the 300 Spartans? This is, at its core, historical. In fact, many of the quotes "Fight in the shade", "Dine in hell", "Come back with your shield or on it", etc are 100% historical from this period.
From everything I've read, the Spartans were great warriors, though much of the stories of their training were embellished - but also the Spartans encouraged this :) one Spartan warrior was worth like 12 of any other warrior.
I wish I could find the article, but there used to be one online (Google is proving useless, maybe the site is gone) that documented all the actors getting in shape. They all worked out together and it was basically a challenge against them all, and against themselves - whoever made the most personal gains was the "winner" for that week. Which was great because it meant the ones least in shape could make the most gains, and the ones already in shape had to REALLY push themselves. So the abs you see, they're real (though maybe enhanced by visual lighting effects).
Love your reaction to this!
Also I vote NO on Game of Thrones. We made it to like the third season, but whoever wrote it, they must hate women. They CONSTANTLY use rape and sexual assault as a means of plot device and/or character development. Like, we're supposed to believe in magic and dragons, but not that women can't be treated like garbage.
21:02 For the primary actors, they went through a BRUTAL 6 month training camp to get abso-frakking-lutely ripped. There is a reason in fitness there is now something called "The Spartan Circuit," as the trainers that made the camp for the actors released a slightly modified, gentler (o_O!) version for the general public. So, for Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, Dominic Wenham, etc, what you see on screen is real, with a little clever makeup (sheen more than anything) accent the muscles in the spotlights used for filming. The non-speaking Spartan roles, aka the rest of the 300, they put out a casting call for extras that were extremely fit with low body fat and for some of them, there was a little CGI or practical makeup enhancement
10:43 - "Who is this mutant?" Best line ever!
This is a real historical event as well. Battle of Thermopoli
Oh, remember the last samurai with Tom Cruise. , this was the battle he was talking about at the end .
Their abs were for the most part real. They trained very hard for the roles.
An interesting theory as to why this real-life event had fantasy elements: 300 is told by a Spartan (Delios), the soldier Leonidas sent away before the final battle, as a story to motivate other Spartans before they charge at the ending credits, which is the real life battle of Plataea, where a united Greek force decimated the Persian army. This is why the film contains so many fantastical elements such as bombs, elephants, giant monsters, why the immortals had fangs, etc. The whole story is propaganda told to soldiers to make the Spartans seem superpowered and the Persians evil monsters. The implication is that much of it is exaggerated for dramatic effect so the soldiers would fight harder.
My favorite thing about historical pieces like this, regardless of some factual inaccuracies they may have, is seeing how utterly incomprehensibly different humans lives were then compared to now. It really is absolutely nuts how different things were in ancient times. We live in such like, safety and civility now, and it stems almost entirely from the fact that essentially all the world has been "conquered" now, and back then it hadn't been. My favorite thing about this film though, is the theme of laying one's life down to stand up to tyrannical men, and not because of loyalty to your own nation, but because of honor.
"The world will know that free men stod against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over - that even a god-king can bleed."
"Remember us, he said to me. That was his hope. Should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be. May all our voices - whisper to you - from the ageless stone. Tell a Spartan, passerby - that here by Spartan law, we lie."
King Xerxes wasn't tyrannical, though. At least, no more than King Leonidas. Also, the concept of nation wasn't really a thing back then. People fought because of duty. Sparta operated on a slave economy. This idea of "free men fighting against tyranny" is Americanised nonsense. Both Greeks and Persians owned slaves, and both were imperialistic.
@@noxteryn it's not Americanized nonsense, it a historical piece that maintains contemporary values. Art is supposed to be a mirror to society. We aren't going to make art today, that reflects the values of thousands of years ago, that not the purpose of art.
@@BadassRaiden
I'm not denying it's art. Anyone can create whatever art they want. But art is not beyond criticism, and it's certainly not beyond basic common sense. The culture depicted is completely nonsensical and hugely influenced by American rhetoric: "A new age is upon us, an age of freedom!" This is literally nonsense. Leonidas would never say such a thing, as that statement would mean nothing to him or the people of Ancient Greek cultures. And yes, you can create whatever art you want, with whatever values you want. You can make a movie about Nigerian Samurai fighting against Italian Vikings and quoting Hitler. It would still be nonsense.
What you are describing here is called historical white-washing. The Greeks weren't the "good guys" and Persians weren't the "bad guys". It wasn't "free men standing up to tyranny". It was one superpower fighting another superpower. That's why it's Americanised nonsense. Because it promotes this notion of exceptionalism, of being the hero of your own story, and that your side is always fighting for "muh freedom" while the other side "hates freedom".
I can assure you, here in Greece, pretty much the only people who liked the movie's depictions of the events, cultures, and peoples, were ultranationalist conservatives.
@@noxteryn not saying that it's not beyond criticism, but the criticism needs to be valid and I just don't think your criticism is. This is not meant to be a historical piece. It's a historical *set* piece, injected with contemporary values. Leonidas isn't meant to actually represent the Leonidas of the past. He represents what we might interpret a leader like him existing in contemporary society. Likewise, this isnt whitewashing because it's not meant to be an accurate historical piece anyways, and that is the primary aspect of white washing; changing or altering history. This isn't meant to be history. It took one legend, the tale of the 300 Spartans, and injected it with contemporary values. That's it.
I don't agree that "an age of freedom" is strictly American rhetoric. In fact, I think it's quite a universally popular sentiment, considering how since then, there has been an ever increasing rise of standing up to authoritarianism around the globe. Again, the Greeks may not have been the good guys, and the Persians bad guys but this film was never meant to depict them as historically accurate. I also don't really agree that it promotes exceptionalism either. Persians are the only antagonist, and I don't find that they meaningfully and purposefully attempted to portray Spartans as being exceptional compared to the Persians. Except of course, in their fighting ability but if we are being honest, most historians already view and talk about the phalanx as an exceptionally well and effective combat tactic.
I will concede to your last statement though. I have no doubt that the majority of people in your country who enjoyed the film were ultranationalist conservatives, because the majority of people who enjoyed in my country, the US, were also ultranationalist conservatives. But I think a lot of that has to do with our biases, as does anything. I mean if we are honest, typically ANY film that even utters the word freedom, is gonna make conservatives go crazy for it. I however, not being a conservative, did not interpret it say, the way you did, as having all these Americanized undertones. I took it for what it was, a film, a piece of art. Not a biography. Not a historical recreation of events. Now it might be the case that I didn't know enough of the actual history to feel a way about it similar to you, however I did know that Sparta was a slave economy when I first saw the film. But I didn't care about this internal contradictions between the story and the history because again, I knew this was not supposed to be a historically accurate recreation of events and people. I just took the film for what it was, and moved by its message and sentiment.
I want elaborate further on the one piece that I think you were closest on, yet still incorrect. That is of course, the critique of whitewashing. There was a film that just came out, cakes The Woman King with Viola Davis. So so so many liberal voices online have accused this film of whitewashing, because it left out the very crucial fact that the society it's attempting to portray was, like Sparta, a slave society. But again, like 300, this film is not meant to be a historical piece, a biography, or a recreation of events. It had a story to tell, and it wanted to also wanted to expose audiences to this ancient society. So it used this culture to tell that story, and aspects of that culture did not help tell the story it wanted to tell, so it left them out. Including them having a slave based society didn't add to the story, nor did it necessarily take away from the story. It would have just created unnecessary internal contradictions and gotten in the way of the story. The point of going into a movie is to always remember that it's a movie. Suspend your disbelief yes, but always remember in the back of your mind that what you are seeing isn't real, and isn't supposed to be interpreted as accurate. It would have been one thing, if at the beginning of 300 it said, "Based on a True Story," but it didn't. Even then though, there are certain liberties film makers and screen writers take with source material for pieces that are actually based on true stories.
It's like saying Braveheart whitewashed history too, because William Wallace, from the little we know about him, didn't come from a commoner family. He was a highly respected, well known knight of Scotland's army. He did have a wife he married in secret, nor was she murdered. I mean kilts weren't even invented in Scotland yet during that time period, and they certainly didn't just wear leather and fabrics for protection against well armored English soldiers. The scots were just as armored. But it's clear why certain filmmaking liberties were taken. They put them in kilts despite them not existing in that time period, because kilts are easily identifiable Scottish garments. They made Wallace come from a poor working family because they wanted to tell a story that even those who are viewed as powerless can rise to become powerful enough to fight power. It's easier to articulate oppression when oneside looks more well off, more protected, more capable than the other side, which is why they made the Scots not have steel armor like the English. That also helps to distinguish between them, and it also leads credence to the underdog sentiment, that the scots prevailed despite being outnumbered and out equipped. It's not white washing though. White washing is a *deliberate* attempt, and that is the key word used in the actual definition of white washing - to purposefully portray a historical events, society, individuals, or culture inaccurately, in an attempt to hide certain pieces of information. None of these film, including 300, did that.
Anyone who gets upset when historical set pieces are not accurate, as far as I'm concerned, takes films too seriously.
Yes Lena Heady is in Game of Thrones and yes you should watch it!
"My arm!"
"Its not yours anymore"
"It belongs to the wall"
😂 u got my like
💪☺️🗡
It was a historical event... Then Greece was not invaded and the cradle of Civilization was preserved. Thanks King Leonidas! The Super Hero of real life.
actually.... Leonidas, 300 Spartans, 400 Helots and 1,100 Boeotians were annihilated at the Battle of Thermopylae. this allowed the Persians to take control of Central & Southern Greece and to destroy the city of Athens.
in the real world, it was the Athenians who kicked Persia's ass at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and Salamis in 480 BC. the Spartans helped out in 479 BC at Plataea -- the final battle of the Greco-Persian Wars.
later on in the 330s BC, Alexander the Great of Macedonia wiped out the Persian Empire.
A really well made and a great story. And having Lady Jen react to it made it even better. It is very loosely based on an actual event.
Best ending speech in ALL of film history!
Yes please 'Game of Thrones' That would be fun. Its like a twisted 'Lord of the Rings' type show
"'This is Sparta!"
Such a stylish movie and meme-tastic glad you enjoyed the narration Jen it's a cool touch 👌 so many great captions and your wonderful little touches in this one and a wisdom nugget 🎉 I take that as an early birthday gift 😉 . The score is epic indeed which I knew you would appreciate Jen 👌 star trek , Beverley hills cop 2 and 300 now that's a good trio I've watched today Ty Jen you're friggin awesome 🔥
This film quickly lights a spartan fire inside you. Also the real spartans loved word play, insults and mockery. Makes the dialogue even better.
I will always love this movie! Got it on both DVD and BluRay - pure epicness!! great reaction by the way, I have just joined your channel - we are connected now!!
Four months late, but this is probably one of the best movies ever. It is a comic book turned into a movie inspired by history. This was a masterpiece.
Also, check out "Sin City"..
Such a cool and iconic movie. Plus my ab quota in movies is filled for at least a month after watching this movie 😂
💪☺️
Jen, you might recall in The Last Samurai, Algren told Katsumoto about the battle of Thermopylae and Katsumoto asked what happened to the warriors at Thermopylae. “Dead to the last man” Algren replied.
Yes to Game of Thrones! It's a long commitment, but would be great to see and probably would grow the channel a decent bit.
3:41 Would love to see you cover Game Of Thrones. It's a brilliant show and would likely be quite popular (as well as a cool potential team-up for you and Tara, is she hasn't watched it either). 👍✌❤
Rewatching this only enhances my admiration of how wonderful you are at content creation you certainly deserve to be praised every single day you are incredibly talented and super funny the text you add to the video are so good 🔥 "never climb in candles " a wisdom nugget that everyone should abide by 😀 . I laughed so much watching this again with you Jen I was snacking on marshmallows and almost spat them out on several occasions due to your amazing humour 😂 definitely yes to game of thrones and house of the dragon too . I actually watched season 1 of game of thrones and then binged all the books they are incredible highly recommend 👍 cheers for another jensational fun time Jen 🔥💙
If you like this, I highly recommend Sin City. Also based on a Frank Miller graphic novel.
"You have to be a kind person for me to find you handsome"
-Jen Murray, 2023 📝
🥰👍
Case in point for Jen: Indiana Jones and both Reeve & Cavill as Superman.
Yay I'm handsome according to Jen 😅😅.. @jen Murray
You've forgotten the reference to these Greeks in the movie The Last Samurai. Algren spoke to Katsumoto about the 300 at Thermopylae, and how they died to the last man.
The sword sounds! 🤣
THIS, IS, SPARTA!
TONIGHT, WE DINE, IN HELL!
Hey shaine
The Spartans were absolute elite. The training began as a child and was absolutely full of deprivation. The thinking was that of a military state, perfect training, absolute trust in their comrades, first-class equipment (e.g. breastplates not shown in the film, etc.) they resembled a tank on legs rather than chains.
But the equipment alone does not explain the immense success. The location was perfectly chosen, the Persians could not flank the Spartans and a phalanx of these fighters (absolute elite) was almost insurmountable. Psychology was also an important factor
imagine having to attack this bulwark as an opponent when several of your own warriors are already lying dead on the ground. Battles of any kind are often decided in the mind, and until the betrayal all went well for the Spartans and the other Greek fighters.
It is not for nothing that they are the models for many military and police special and special units.
Jen !! I’m absolutely in for GoT ❤ epic show babe, just epic…
Thanks Marie ☺️👍
So, the Immortals were probably a real military unit that was basically the Imperial Guard for the Persian Empire, though there's so much speculation, hearsay, and rumor about them that it's hard to tell what's real and what's made up. However, we do know that as in the movie, they were also sometimes used in battle instead of just acting as bodyguards and palace guards. They were named the Immortals because the unit was 10,000 men strong, and whenever one would die, get wounded, be too ill to fight, etc, they were immediately replaced by another soldier, thus always keeping the unit strength at 10,000 men. So the troops themselves weren't immortal, but the unit was. They actually do live up to that name though, as some of the traditions, symbols, insignia, etc. have been used multiple times throughout history by military units from the area that was known as Persia, such as the Byzantine Empire. Even today, there are two brigades in the Iranian army that use the insignia and symbols of the Persian Immortals.
Spartans legend and myth is probably the most wrong and misunderstood of any civilization or people. They weren’t against retreating, they didn’t want to die in battle or seek a “glorious” death. They enslaved an entire group of people to do the things they didn’t want to and treated them harshly, homosexuality was seen as common and fine back then, so the “boy lover” comment is a modern invention. There’s much more I could say, but Sparta is not at all how this movie or any other portrays and certainly not as most people think. Athens by comparison would have been a much better place to live, especially as a slave. Athens was famous for how well they treated slaves. Still, this movie is bad ass and a fun watch!
The term "fighting tooth and nail" comes from this battle. It was a quote from Xerxes how he described Leonidas and the 300.
when Michael Fasbender cut off that commanders arm and you said "it belongs to the wall now." i haven't viewed that scene in that sort of way ever and it made me laugh so hard i cant explain why. Thanks for that.
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to the actual facts. another 1000 soldiers remained with the Spartans from other cities of Greece
When the closed captioning translated that guy's name to "dark sauce" I laughed so damn hard.
😂😂
It certainly was based on a graphic novel. Sin City is of the same concept. However this actually happened. Not in this stylised adaptation of course but 300 brave Greeks did hold a narrow passage against half a million Persian soldiers. True courage is never forgotten and it's why we remember the story over 2000 years later.
2500 years... if the Gregorian calendar is correct, in 2023 the battle was 2503 years ago.
@@economath8164 I did say over...
@@chrisking6667 ...and yet your so saying was still imprecise by half a millennium.
If you missed it, the director was Zack Snyder. Same director of Man of Steel, BvS, Watchmen, and of course, Zack Snyder's Justice League. All great!
This was based on a comic, not history. Good story but lest you confuse it with history because there was a battle of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) with 300 Spartans. The persians did NOT have war rhinoceroses. They used no elephants. There was no storm - the Persian fleet was wrecked by the Athenian navy. (It makes sense the narrator does not mention that since he is Spartan; Sparta and Athens were like the U.S. and U.S.S.R.)
one of my Favorites. Definitely a like button hit.
Thanks Dalton! ☺️👍
@@jenmurrayxo Every video of yours gets a click. Hehehehe
I know that I don't have a popular opinion here, however, I am a fan of the Zack Snyder films. I would absolutely encourage you to watch more of his films. As to the history behind the 300 Spartans, the historical battle was very different. The 300 Spartans lined up 50 men wide and 6 men deep becoming an impossible wall to push through. The other Greeks that were there fired arrows over them killing the enemy that approached. The battle is proof that superior technology and tactics can overcome superior numbers. Technology played a huge part in this. The shields, weapons, helmets and armor (Yes they wore chest armor} of the Spartans were made of bronze where as the Persians wore no armor, had swords made of copper, and shields made from reeds. The Spartan spears and Greek arrows had an easy time slaying the enemy. The Persian troops that were able to get in range of Spartans found their swords breaking on the Spartan shields and armor. After three days of fighting, the Greek traitor Ephialtes led the Persians around the Greeks to the rear. Surrounded on 3 sides, the Spartans died. In addition to the Spartans, there were roughly 1,600 other Greeks that died after being flanked. Ephialtes today means nightmare in Greek. As to the Oracle; The Oracle of Delphi prophesized to Leonidus that in order for Sparta to survive, he would have to die. Knowing this, he took 300 men that all had adult sons with him so that their blood lines would survive as they marched to their death.
The location is critical. The Battle of Thermopylae is a textbook example of defenders using terrain as a "force multiple", protecting flanks (side) and rear, as well removing or reducing the overwhelming size advantage. In real life, this is how 7,000 Greeks (300 Spartans + allies) held off an estimated 120,000-300,000 Persians for 3 days.
Sin city would be a good movie to react to
Skulls, discarded babies, adult men punching little boys...
yes, they are good guys 😃
As the Spartans told the story, when they threw the messengers into the well, they said "There's earth and water for you down there."
Jen will summon the Oracle to decide what to watch next!
Definitely some special effects on the abs, but Gerrard Butler was still ripped when this came out. He was the cover model for Men's Health magazine around this time.
💪☺️
The Spartan's bodies were real.
They trained for the movie using an early form of Crossfit.
Gerard Butler showed up at MSU for a spartan football game. He lead the chant at halftime to about 80k fans in the stadium. It gives me chills thinking about it now!
“Who is this mutant?” Jen says after meeting me.
Great work as always Jenn. Love your work. See ya next time.
Thanks Cory! ☺️👍
“May you live forever”
Oof.
Also! Watch Hero starring Jet Li, tony Leung, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi, and Maggie Cheung. Similar vibes as this movie with a Wuxia twist.
This movie is based on a graphic novel, not pure history. The initiation for Spartans to become citizens was not to kill a wolf, but rather to kill a slave. Sparta was the military society and had conquered another Greek city-state turning its citizens into helots, or slaves. And the training was actually more brutal than shown here.
On the other hand, they had armor. The Spartan hop light was heavy infantry.
hoplite
This movie is what motivated me to hit the gym 🤣
Those were real abs, sister. The DVD extras show the stunt men and Butler training. 💪
Awesome! 💪☺️
“300” is specifically based off of Frank Miller’s graphic novel. But the Battle of Thermopylae itself is actual history. Another great dramatization of the event is called “Gates of Fire” by Steven Pressfield.
If I remember correctly, at least in said book, the oracle gave a somewhat more optimistic prophecy: “Sparta will either lose her king or her freedom.” Hence Leonidas’ line in the film about praying for Persian stupidity.
34:22 WAIT for it…
35:02 …THERE it is. 😎
And while Leonidas didn’t actually KILL Xerxes, which would have been an amazing coup for history, he did something arguably worse. By bleeding, Xerxes isn’t an untouchable god anymore. He’s lost that forever.
Oh my, the Serious Girl Spectacles will be working overtime on this particular Beefcake Parade. 😍
Until the horrible violence starts in earnest, at least... 😨🥺😱
Spartans had pretty good armor for the time. I wonder why all 300 of them left it at home?
Because it was just a stroll...
I don't know, Jen. I have seen your Gladiator reaction, and now 300. I think you might have a little blood thirsty streak in you! Love the reactions.
Jen, you must go for 'Sin City' (2005), another Frank Miller black and white film masterpiece based on his graphic novel, starred by Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Benicio del Toro, Elijah Wood and Brittany Murphy (directed alongside with Robert Rodríguez and Quentin Tarantino).
"This is Sparta, ya frig!" 💥🦵😉
My junior high school sport teams were the Spartans. Then in high school, it was the (hee-hee) Trojans.
5:36 climbing in sandals. Not a good idea 😂
20:56 asking the important questions since 2023.
23:39 that's right Xerxes, suck it!
24:35 taking notes, battle notes.
27:00 well how can he say no to this. This is uh ... Persuasive.
27:52 yeah but they're kicking butt. Oh but they're about to get slaughtered.
28:42 well he's terrible.
28:46 think I might've said he was handsome before (3:49). If so I retract that. You have to be a kind person for me to find you handsome.
28:58 that's a good attitude. Holy.
32:20 this guy's the worst.
32:46 - approving nods -
33:20 traitor!
33:34 no this guy needs to go, cut off his head!
33:40 Never.
34:00 he will never yield.
34:48 😲😮 I am shocked!
35:05 it was a move!
37:34 10,000!
Lena Headey was also in Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles which was a TV show picking up from after Terminator 2 which ran for 2 seasons as Sarah. Was pretty good, only seen 1 person react to it.
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@@jenmurrayxo definitely should check out Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles eventually.
The other "filmed like the Graphic Novel" film is Sin City which came out the year before this. I personally liked Sin City better than this but both are great. The sequel to both Sin City and 300 are fine, just definitely not as good as the originals.
On that last battlefield, Plataea, nearly 2,502 years ago, Xerxes army was finally defeated by a combined force of warriors from Sparta, and many other Greek city-states. Accounts of the numbers on both sides differ greatly, but the general consensus of the research into what happened, is that the Greeks were outnumbered fairly significantly.
This movie is based on an actual historical event, the battle of Thermopylae which took place around 450BC. Men love this movie not just for the action but also how it portrays the characteristics that they admire; courage, honour and self sacrifice for a greater cause. It’s a great movie that will end up becoming an enduring classic.
1 thing I never thought about until someone said it recently. Xerxes stands on the back of his people, Leonidas let his people jump of his.
Fun Fact. The young Leonidas was played by director Zach Synders son. Great film.
And since the entire movie is basically the campfire story the narrator is telling before a (bigger) battle, lots of the fantastical/paranormal stuff begins to make sense: it's a soldier embellishing some of the details to make the story more compelling...
Excellent observation along the lines of what I was thinking, and the stylistic elements and photography give it a feeling of it being a campfire tail.
Stylistic as hell, but even so - a fairly accurate representation of the Battle of Thermopylae. Leonidas' personal bodyguard plus a few thousand extra Greeks did in fact hold off a phenomenally massive Persian force. Almost up there with Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon in terms of ancient historical events that affected the course of modern life
Maybe even more accurate as the stylized nature of the movie is like how I've heard Spartans had a way with words and intimidation back then. The hype of the pre-fight trash talk where it robs the enemy of their heart and will to fight.
Reputation and wit. Action hero one-liners 2,500 years ago.
@@jayeisenhardt1337 Interesting that you mentioned the trash talk, because some of the lines Leonidas says in the movie are DIRECTLY translated from accounts of the battle itself.
@@jayeisenhardt1337 known as "Laconic wit"
When he told the traitor “may you live forever” made him feel bad because Spartans are not supposed to live forever but to gain honor in dying in battle…
Woop!
Hah You've seen The Last Samurai, Algren already spoiled this movie for you when he was talking to Katsumoto :)
You've not watched Game of Thrones?? Yes, Yes, YES... You've gotta watch that show! Also, yes, Lena Headey was indeed the Queen you referenced in GOT. She was masterful in that role.
GoT should for sure be your next show to watch!
I agree. I would love to see GOT reactions!
GoT is a LONG haul for a reactor... Totally worth it, IMHO, but, it IS a big commitment... I can't think of another reactor I'd like to see do it more than Jen, though!
Jen: "No mercy!" "I feel like I have the soul of a Spartan!" 😃👍❤
Me: Yes, I think you just might. Perhaps you have some Spartan blood in your family heritage. 🤗
Not that I know of but maybe in the ancient past ☺️👍🗡
Jen, armed with the soul of a Spartan and dutifully writen notes, immortal! Epic!
Thanks Jim ☺️👍🗡
The First of the 3 MOJOR battles for Greece, happened around 490 BC when the Battle of Marathon took place, when the Persians under King Darius after sailing for months landed on the beach of Athens, the Athenians immediately attacked them and slaughtered a good many of them BEFORE they had a chance to get off the boats and get organized, during this battle, King Darius was shot with an arrow, he died several days later, giving way for his son Prince Xerxes to become King Xerxes, and 10 years after his fathers death, he marched a HUGE army of more than 1,000,000 men to conquer the Greek city states of Sparta and Athens, this was the Battle of Thermopylae, where a few thousand Greeks from Acadia, Marathon, Lerna, Argos, and Tyrns led by 300 Spartans, stood and held the Thermopylae pass for 3 days, while this was going on, the Antenians led a few dozen ships from Athens, Argolis, and Trozeon into a battle on the sea, they were simialiarily outnumbered, when the Persians got behind the force holding Thermopylae Pass, all the rest of the Greeks left except what was left of the Spartans, who stayed behind to cover their escape, the 300 Spartans had inflicted so many casualties on the Persian army of more than 200,000, but in the end, all 300 Spartans minus 1 died at Thermopylae including King Leonidas, with his army hurt very badly by 300 Spartans, so that 1 year later at the battle of Platea, the ENTIRE Spartan army of 10,000 let a unified force of several Greek nation states consisting a total of an additional 40,000 Greeks, and charged Xerxes army of about 250,000 and killed about 90% of them, they drove the Persians back into what was originally their territory, today we know that country as Iran, but the event that motivated Greece to united was the sacrifice of King Leonidas and his 300 men that died at Thermopylae.
Awesome movie