PLATFORM: 4K UHD / RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 5
Ever heard the one about the 300 Spartan warriors who decided to take on an army made up of millions? That’s the loose plot summary for Zack Snyder’s 300. Based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, Snyder’s 2006 movie had Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas and his personal guard of 300 soldiers step up to try and put a stop to the all-conquering ways of the Persian deity Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). It’s bloody, it’s brutal, and it’s a movie that was – and still is – a visual delight that mixes live-action with CGI backdrops to create a comic book-esque tone. And now, 300 is the latest Warner Bros. film to be given a 4K UHD upgrade.
As is so often the case with any such new release of an old favourite, the main draw here for a lot of people will be the 4K UHD treatment given to Zack Snyder’s film. Given how 300 is already a visually stunning movie, the 4K sheen only adds further to so much of what makes 300 great. In terms of the definition on faces and armour, the 4K works wonders, but it’s the colours of battle and looming skies that are the true standout of this upgrade. The palette and unique style of 300 shines through for all to see here, with the impact of the oft-contrasting colours bursting from your screen and a sense of more weight and power added to proceedings.
Where the special features are concerned, 300 die-hards may be a little disappointed to see that there is no new material included here. That’s not to say that the release isn’t bursting at the seams, mind, for the massive amount of extra material from the previous Blu-ray release is all featured here. The highlights are likely The Frank Miller Tapes – because any time spent listening to Frank Miller is usually a good time, right? – and The 300: Fact or Fiction, although there is so much to get your teeth stuck into here. Whether it’s extensive webisodes, history lessons, a fascinating proof-of-concept piece, or an audio commentary, this new 300 release is packed full of extras – it’s just that those who have earlier releases of the film will have seen all of this before.
If you’re looking to see the rich, deep imagery of 300 play out in the most beautiful, bone-crunching way possible, this 4K offering is absolutely a must-have. If you’re more concerned about checking out new bonus material, then this could be a release worth holding back on. As for those who’ve never checked out Zack Snyder’s 300 before, this is something well worth adding to your collection sooner rather than later.
