Hark! Do you hear it, gentlemen? It's Steve Reeves and Russell Crowe all wrapped up in one homo-erotic event... not sweaty men in burlap bags (aka, Gladiator) or even loin cloths, (aka Tarzan or early gladiator movies) but nearly naked men in burgundy jock straps, cod pieces added for enticement (yes, they really did pad them on the set!)

Frank Miller waltzes into town again, this time pushing another comic book, "300", based upon the final stand taken by an actual group of Spartan fighters that decide to hold the pass against the Persian army long enough to rouse the Greek passions into hurdling the conquering horde back into the sea (which they do... not in the film, but in history).

Filmed entirely against blue screen, actors stormed off the sets, angry with the director because they found it difficult talking and reacting to nothing. Director Zack Snyder, whose only feature claim to fame is "Dawn of the Dead" attempts to translate Frank Miller's violent artsy comic world into another feature film. Judging from the rather mixed reaction, I'm not certain he accomplished this goal.

The problem with films of this type (i.e., Sky Captain and the world of tomorrow), where actors standing in front of blue walls and swing around blue objects, is that the special effects tend to overwhelm the subject material to the point that the effects drive the story into the ground. While the visual may be stunning, the content depends on the visual effects artist to 'sell' what is lacking, a great story told by great actors.

An epic movie like "300" should probably be seen in the theater. (I waited to see "Troy" and "Alexander on DVD, preferring the ability to fast forward through the crap). However, if the level of violence purported by most reviewers is as graphic as stated, I will decline to infuse my mind with CGI images: endlessly chopping off limbs, gouging out eyes, ripping open guts with swords by men whose dirty sweaty bodies, bulging with muscles, scream with Spartan pride; "Death to the...!"