Despite the "actors" best attempts to ruin this documentary, it is quite interesting and accurate.
It could have done without the embarrassing reconstructions, the acting would have to improve 100% to even be described as wooden!
8 Reviews
Hard To Take Seriously
meilani-3455228 December 2017
I tried and tried to ignore the heavy Australian accents, which made it hard to take this documentary hard to take seriously. The portrayal of the historical figures by the Australian actors was bad. And the dialogue by the historical experts seemed very clunky.
The historical aspects seem sound but...
sigridfw-50-85640723 October 2020
We decided to view it as "Jim Gaffigan's Australian Historical Reenactor's 300" and laughed like crazy. It's campily cheesy but does debunk a lot of the myths in favor of more considered and layered knowledge.
People have unrealistically high expectations these days-don't let the fake leopard, tiger, snake, zebra prints put you off. Listen to the information, consider it and have a little fun while doing it.
People have unrealistically high expectations these days-don't let the fake leopard, tiger, snake, zebra prints put you off. Listen to the information, consider it and have a little fun while doing it.
A MASSIVE Disappointment
EdeBorrett15 January 2018
This is in the modern fashion of part-documentary "enhanced" by reconstructions. Unfortunately the result is an annoying mish-mash that fails on every aspect of telling the story.
As has been commented the historical experts comments are (in the most part at least) clunky and it feels like they are reading a script that they have never seen before. These experts also make more than one very dubious statement - "a million men in the Persian Army" REALLY ???
The reconstructions have appalling costuming and armour and I would comment that the acting was poor except for the fact that I didn't actually see any acting ! As with the experts, the reconstructions were no more that people saying (or more often shouting) a line with no sense of meaning in their words. And I really want to make no comments at all on either the Greeks' armour or their fighting style, neither certainly bore any resemblance to anything seen in Ancient Greece...
This MIGHT have been better without the poor reconstructions, although even then the experts would have struggled to keep an interest which even they didn't seem to have in the subject.
There IS a good story to be told here but there are considerably better documentaries available on the subject, but this one is not a success on any level.
A great disappointment
As has been commented the historical experts comments are (in the most part at least) clunky and it feels like they are reading a script that they have never seen before. These experts also make more than one very dubious statement - "a million men in the Persian Army" REALLY ???
The reconstructions have appalling costuming and armour and I would comment that the acting was poor except for the fact that I didn't actually see any acting ! As with the experts, the reconstructions were no more that people saying (or more often shouting) a line with no sense of meaning in their words. And I really want to make no comments at all on either the Greeks' armour or their fighting style, neither certainly bore any resemblance to anything seen in Ancient Greece...
This MIGHT have been better without the poor reconstructions, although even then the experts would have struggled to keep an interest which even they didn't seem to have in the subject.
There IS a good story to be told here but there are considerably better documentaries available on the subject, but this one is not a success on any level.
A great disappointment
Very interesting account
remusreaper11 September 2016
Finally a complete story on a single topic, so long since I saw a documentary that was not a collection of trivia and a covert invitation to visit somewhere and spend money.
Nearly 400 volunteer extras, that must have taken some organizing.
And something new on the last stand of the 300 (+1400 others). At long last, not the usual rehashed glorified stuff. Lots of details, maps, explanation and some discussion. Have to be careful not to give away any spoilers.
Pretty good action as well, worth a watch. The Greeks even hold their spears correctly and fight in a proper phalanx.
Nearly 400 volunteer extras, that must have taken some organizing.
And something new on the last stand of the 300 (+1400 others). At long last, not the usual rehashed glorified stuff. Lots of details, maps, explanation and some discussion. Have to be careful not to give away any spoilers.
Pretty good action as well, worth a watch. The Greeks even hold their spears correctly and fight in a proper phalanx.
Production Values Are Amateur Hour
mib45619 February 2020
Though the content is extremely interesting and seems detailed and accurate, there is no professional editing or story telling. There are repeated repeated statements and facts, the various "experts" repeat information that they've each said independently, and the backdrops behind these story tellers are annoying and distracting.
One can almost forgive the horrible acting and the re-enactments can't have been directed by even stuntmen, however what's most distracting is the cutaways and editing flourishes that are so random and varied that it reminds one of a first timers attempt at Power Point. I learned a lot of information from this but I wouldn't use it in a middle school class.
A new eye opening perspective on a classic
danpc-0675111 November 2023
I appreciate that the budget for this documentary might have been on the lower end, but what has been produced here is an absolutely fascinating retelling of a moment in history that we all know and love.
This re telling really had me on the edge of my seat at times, and it felt like I was really there!!
I loved the attention to detail with the accuracy of the armour and weapons of the time, which you find Hollywood budgets sometimes get completely wrong, but this was so immersive.
The historians and professors bring so much knowledge and historical nuance, and open up avenues of thought on this battle that I had never even considered.
It's also great to see actors with real haircuts and beards, it's so immersion breaking in documentaries when obviously false beards and wigs are used.
This re telling really had me on the edge of my seat at times, and it felt like I was really there!!
I loved the attention to detail with the accuracy of the armour and weapons of the time, which you find Hollywood budgets sometimes get completely wrong, but this was so immersive.
The historians and professors bring so much knowledge and historical nuance, and open up avenues of thought on this battle that I had never even considered.
It's also great to see actors with real haircuts and beards, it's so immersion breaking in documentaries when obviously false beards and wigs are used.
Laughably poor production value
jakecollinson-386384 January 2021
The history in this documentary is sound but the way they tell the story makes it nearly impossible to follow. I generally like the documentary/reenactment method of historical storytelling but have never seen it pulled off in such a bad way.
Michael Scott is a very good history presenter, which makes it all the more strange that the makers of this film used him so sparingly.
The less said about the green screens the better.
Michael Scott is a very good history presenter, which makes it all the more strange that the makers of this film used him so sparingly.
The less said about the green screens the better.
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