300

If you are squeamish and don’t like violence, then don’t see the movie “300”. Three fourths of the movie is dedicated to all-out warfare, brutality and gore. And the added sexual content doesn’t make it any easier to watch. Decapitation, severing of arms, legs, hands and other body parts flood the screen in stylized battle scenes shot in stop-action, slow motion and choreographed with dance-like moves. And then there is blood spurting all over with plenty of dead bodies hung up, stuck on posts, made into walls and just lying around.

But beside the gore, there are some good features to 300. First, courage and bravery reign supreme. This movie is about Sparta and the elite fighting force that culture produced. Leonidas, the king of Sparta, illegally takes 300 of his elite personal guard to defend Sparta from the million man Persian army, composed of armies from 100 nations. Brutally bred and trained as professional soldiers, Spartans feared nothing and were willing to sacrifice their lives for their city. Facing overwhelming odds, Leonidas and his 300 warriors don’t flinch but actually look forward to the battle. One Spartan hopes out loud to perhaps find one warrior out the million who would prove to be worthy of his death. Queen Gorgo tells Leonidas, “Come back with your shield or on it.” Wimping out is not an option.

Second, Spartans work as a unit, so that one’s strength is found in one’s companion. Leonidas says, “A Spartan's strength is the warrior next to him.” Spartan military strategy depends on coordinated defense and offense, so victory depends entirely on the whole army working together as a single unit. Leonidas is selfless and willingly puts himself in the thick of the battle to aid his comrades. In contrast, Xerxes, the Persian emperor, watches from a distance and doesn’t take part in the battle but merely sends army after army into battle without regard for their lives.

Third, Spartans believe in freedom and are willing to die for it. “Freedom is never free,” says Queen Gorgo. King Leonidas is ready and willing to lay down his life so that his city might remain free from the tyranny of Xerxes and the Persians. There are many times that Leonidas and his captains remind the rest that they are fighting for freedom. Leonidas refuses to bow to Xerxes, even after Xerxes offers to make him the warlord of all Greece if he would merely bow before him. In the end, Leonidas pretends to bow but only so that he can get a final chance to throw a spear at Xerxes.

While Sparta’s bravery and fighting prowess are impressive, there were some major drawbacks to Spartan culture. First, it was cruel, brutal and uncaring. In order to create brave soldiers many children had to be thrown away at birth because they were unfit (survival of the fittest to the max).

Second, the Spartans were incapable of sharing their feelings. Whenever you work to block out the negative emotions of fear and other weakness, you also make it impossible to feel the positive emotions of love and joy. Leonidas couldn’t even tell his wife, Queen Gorgo, that he loved her when he left for battle, nor could he relay a message of love when he sent his friend back to tell their story. When asked what he wanted to say to his wife, Leonidas replied, “Nothing. She already knows how I feel.” In fact, when Leonidas’ captain sees his son killed in the fighting he handles his grief by filling his heart with hate. Sparta might be cool and macho, but most intelligent men wouldn’t want to live there.

Third, Sparta didn’t develop much of a culture. In contrast, Athens developed one of the richest cultures of the ancient world. Athens’ philosophy, art and writings still influence us today, but very little of Sparta’s culture affects us today. A culture built around war cannot produce much of lasting value.

There are some similarities between king Leonidas and Jesus. Leonidas willingly laid down his life for his brothers. One soldier says, as he lies dying, “It is an honor to die at your side.” Leonidas replies, “It was an honor to live at yours.” Leonidas would rather die with his men than betray them and his city for his own personal gain. Xerxes tempts Leonidas by offering to make him the warlord of all Greece if he would simply bow down to him. The scene echoes Satan’s temptation of Christ in the wilderness, where Satan offered all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would simply bow down and worship him. The temptation of power and glory at the expense of truth, virtue and obedience to God confronts many men even today. It takes strong character and values to withstand this temptation, especially if the alternative is personal loss, pain or even death. To Leonidas’ credit, he refuses to accept personal gain at the expense of his values.

Amazing Grace

William Wilberforce is powerfully portrayed in the movie Amazing Grace. Wilberforce’s unrelenting attack on the slave trade is one of history’s greatest inspirations. The movie is expertly scripted, skillfully acted and perfectly edited to create a balanced, attention holding, inspiring story that you should see.

The story also touches upon Wilberforce’s Christian faith and the inspiration of his old pastor, John Newton. Newton was a slave ship owner who accepted Christ, gave up the slave trade, and became active in the abolitionist movement in England. After his conversion, he wrote one of the most familiar hymns in history, Amazing Grace. John Newton’s hymn, testimony and encouragement were instrumental in Wilberforce’s struggle to abolish slavery in England.

Wilberforce worked incessantly against slavery, until his health gave out after he was charged with sedition as war with France took center stage. Wilberforce retired to the country a defeated man and vowed never to speak against slavery again. However, he could not remain silent, and at the urging of his new wife and after reading his old pastor John Newton’s memoirs on the horrors of slave trade, Wilberforce returned to parliament and renewed the fight.

The courage, passion, and tenacity of Wilberforce inspired me. It is impossible to see Wilberforce’s dedication without evaluating your own. It also reminded me how important it is to keep on encouraging one another because it is impossible to keep fighting against evil without the support and encouragement of others. We all need someone to help us through the discouragement and failure, especially those who seem to not need it.

I highly recommend this movie. It has not been publicized as much as most other films; nevertheless, it is one of the best movies of the year so far. This is a “must see” movie.

Measure for Measure

Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure, first performed on December 26, 1604, is sometimes called a dark comedy, but it really doesn’t fit any easy categorization. The story revolves around the question of true morality, and involves intricate plot twists and secret identities.

The Duke of Vienna is a wise leader but is not effective in maintaining order, so he pretends to go away on business but disguises himself as a friar in order to spy on the town while he is thought to be away. He puts the town in charge of Angelo, a strict legalistic man who quickly arrests Claudio on charges of fornication for getting his fiancé pregnant before they were able to marry. Even though Claudio intends to marry her, Angelo sentences him to death.

Isabella, a chaste nun and Claudio’s sister, begs Angelo to pardon Claudio. Angelo agrees to pardon Claudio on the condition that Isabella sleep with him. She refuses and tells Claudio, who begs her to save his life by giving up her chastity. Isabella is furious with Claudio and leaves him to die.

However, the Duke, disguised as a friar, tells Isabella that there is another way. He tells her to agree to Angelo’s terms but send a different woman in her place. The woman, Mariana, was engaged to Angelo five years earlier, but he broke off the engagement because her dowry was lost at sea. Angelo sleeps with Mariana thinking it is Isabella. In the morning, however, he goes back on his word and orders that Claudio be executed and his head sent to him.

The Duke has the jailor exchange Claudio with a condemned pirate, and sends his head to Angelo instead. Isabella is overcome with grief at her brother’s supposed death and threatens to take her case to the Duke when he returns. Angelo laughs because he is convinced the Duke will believe him over some crazy woman.

When the Duke returns, Isabella pleads her case before him, but he pretends to side with the Duke. Angelo is put in charge of the investigation, so he brings in witnesses to discredited Isabella and she is thrown into prison. Angelo also sends for the friar, the disguised Duke, who charged Angelo with making disparaging remarks about the Duke. When the friar is brought in Angelo accuses the friar of speaking against the Duke and calls the jailor to imprison him. However, the Duke takes off his disguise and everyone becomes aware of Angelo’s hypocrisy.

Angelo is sent to be executed and Isabella is released. Mariana pleads for Angelo’s pardon, and the Duke agrees only if he marries Mariana. The Duke eventually brings in Claudio to Isabella’s astonishment. After everyone is forgiven, the Duke proposes to Isabella and they agree to marry.

While the plot is somewhat unrealistic, it clearly points out the hypocrisy of those who claim public virtue while acting the opposite in private. The tension between chastity and loyalty is also brought into play but not developed. The concept of mercy is more central to the story, as everyone ends up pardoned and wrongs made right.


The following quote is from Lucio, Claudio’s friend, as he pleads with Isabella to go and do what she can to save her brother. She is reluctant to act, so he says:

Our doubts are traitors
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt.


When faced with difficult decisions, it is helpful to remember these words, since our action may be what is needed to right a wrong, or to prevent a great evil from occurring. All that evil needs to succeed is for good men, and women, to do nothing. But if we act, then we can have a part in stemming the tide of evil in our world.