I went to this movie solely to see Gerard Butler, as I am a huge fan. If he wasn't in it, I definitely wouldn't have paid to see it at the theater, and chances are I wouldn't have worked real hard to see it on DVD, either. It is not at all the type of film I normally flock to or enjoy, but I was more than pleasantly surprised at how much I thoroughly liked this film.

This is probably one of the most visually appealing movies I have seen in a long time. It was like watching artwork come to life, a feast for the eyes. The acting was excellent; Butler was a strong and commanding lead as King Leonidas. He was a physically imposing warrior, leading his men to battle, yet there were surprisingly tender and human moments as well. Lena Headey managed to portray Queen Gorgo as a strong, powerful woman while maintaining extreme femininity. King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) was by far the most flamboyant of characters -- his costume was of multiple piercings and jewels, and he exuded arrogance and narcissism. A powerful man who referred to himself as God, he was made complete by his large size and deep voice.

I was expecting an overly violent blood bath of a film. Truth be told, I was surprised at its lack of violence. A lot of the violence is implied and then you see the flinging and spurting of blood. There were only a few scenes where I actually cringed or had to shut my eyes. There were even a handful of touching moments that made me weepy, another unexpected effect.

The music was another unforeseen enjoyment. It flowed seamlessly from hauntingly beautiful chant-like choruses to powerfully driven techno beats. I liked the music so much that I remained after the movie to watch the credits and find out who did the soundtrack.

Is this movie historically accurate? Will the History Channel be airing it as a documentary meant to educate the masses on the Spartans, the Persians and the battle of Thermopylae? Absolutely not. I went to see a movie based on a comic book, loosely based on history, and that's what I saw. 300 is a very entertaining movie and I will definitely be purchasing it on DVD.