So I went on Sunday – Ann decided that it wasn’t a movie she wanted to see (graphic decapitations are not quite her cup of tea =) This was not a traditional movie. It did not have the feel of conventional story. Its hard to describe (I failed to convey it Ann, so I’m not high on my chances of explaining it here). It felt like a Homer-like story (something like the Odyssey) – a story told around the campfire in ancient times. This is actually a testimonial that they succeeded, because that’s exactly the format (quite literally). It felt like a comic told with moving images, even more so than Sin City – which is again, a testament to the director. However, what this means is that it really isn’t a movie. It is something else.
Did I enjoy it? Definitely. A movie born of male aggression, battle, war… what’s not to love. It is an improvement on the technique introduced by Sin City, and really gorgeous to behold. The dialog was actually well done – just enough over the top to match the images on screen (including quite a few quotes that I won’t be surprised it they make their way into some sub-culture).
That being said, it almost felt like a different genre. You can’t compare this to a traditional movie (Godfather, Lord of the Rings, Shawshank, etc). They are completely different, both in genre and presentation. I actually can’t think of a movie very similar to it…
Anyway, if you’ve seen it, I’d be curious what you thought.