Source: variety.com
5. 300: Rise of an Empire
It's kind of weird that this movie even exists. I mean, I know 300 made money, but this sequel was released eight years later. Who cared at that point?
Rise of an Empire is a pre-mid-sequel to the original, focusing instead on Themistocles and the Athenian army. As the last movie told us, the Athenians were less fighters and more brilliant strategists. This film shows us that by having all the Athenians we meet just be Spartans wearing blue capes instead of red. Also, their brilliant naval strategy is to "smash our boats into their boats, and then just stab them a whole bunch in the meaty parts".
It's like the original, but it’s lesser in every way. It's less interesting, less visually appealing, the works. Oh, and I know narration is neat and all, but holy heck, it gets to be a bit much in this movie. Why show us anything subtle when you can just narrate it to us?
How It Compares to the Comic: Well, this film was supposedly based upon Frank Miller’s graphic novel Xerxes. How it compares is impossible to know, because it literally never came out. Because Frank Miller is too busy not writing All-Star Batman and Robin to not write a 300 sequel. But this movie actually got finished, so that at least earns it a"¦
