Berlinale Update: 300 Screens To Chorus Of Boos In Berlin

I am surprised!!!
Maybe I (and other journalists) were at a different press screening.
But there was certainly no booing after the movie.
I just read the same opinion in the professional press (Blickpunkt:Film) in Germany. They are very surprised, that some online journalists write about a negative feedback after the screening, because they felt the movie received a positive feedback at the press screening.

Quote from Blickpunkt:Film (in German):
"Auch in der Pressevorführung nachmittags war der Film mit großem Interesse und durchaus freundlich aufgenommen worden. Das hinderte einige Journalisten nicht, online das glatte Gegenteil zu behaupten."

And: The public screening was a tremendous success. The screening was even interrupted by spontaneous applause from the audience.

I think it is OK for you not to like the movie - but why make up this story?

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After -- in my childhood, working at a theater -- having witnessed on a few occasions the film critic of a local paper watch the first 15 minutes of a film, then leave, and then write a scathing review, I've lost any faith in any critic's review.

See the trailer, make up your mind as to whether or not to see it, and then act on that. Form your own opinion afterwards.

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Funny how this site doesn't report this story below:

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5221

Well, look at that, a STANDING OVATION.

Erik Davis your bias is becoming obvious.

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Gotta love how all these commentors (with a just a couple exceptions) haven't even SEEN the movie yet, but feel confident enough to trash a review of it, and question the opinions of others who have seen it.

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There was a public screening of "300" later that day in front of an audience of 1.700.
We shouldn't mix up both screening. I wasn't present at that screening, but I heard the feedback from the audience was very positive.

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Allow me to ring in with an objective observation from the same press screening that Erik Davis attended:

- Roughly 20 people left the screening during the first 15 minutes. (As a person who've never left a film playing in a cinema, I don't endorse this - but at festivals this happens more easliy, because people can catch another film if the one they've begun seeing is not in their taste).
- The film suffers from a very pretentious style, and this was reacted upon by laughter - where laughter was not intended. Especially when the Xerxes-figure entered the film.
- The film was definitely booed at the end, joined by some sarcastic whistling, and an occational cheer.

I went to see this film because I loved the trailer, the premise and the comic book. Sadly, I have to agree with Mr. Davis' review - the film is not as good as it should be, and a major disappointment.

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They gave Hitler a standing ovation at Nuremburg...ram-packing a screening full of geeks and then gauging their enthusiasm doesn't signify much.
I've seen the previews of 300, and the only question that remains is whether it's ridiculous and good or ridiculous and bad, because the essential word is, unquestionably, "ridiculous". Frank Miller is very entertaining, and The Dark Knight Returns was a marvelous graphic novel. But as a writer, Miller has zero political sophistication, and what happened on Sept. 11 didn't complicate him any. I can't see how they'd make this movie without it turning out to be an Iraq allegory. Anyway, I'm hoping Xerxes doesn't camp it up like Herod in a high school production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

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And having said the above, let me stress I don't mean "Germans." I mean the fact that a mass audience applauds something is maybe worthy of note, but it doesn't automatically make something worthwhile.

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Karsten, stop bringing logic and accuracy into this discussion. Don't you know fanboys and shills have a power that will not be stopped? ;-) Seriously, glad someone else chimed in so people will stop doubting Erik's sanity or aim. See it, or don't see, enjoy it, laugh at it or get worked up by it, but don't attack someone for reporting what he saw and what he felt. To me, that's the most shameless of all.

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Maybe our definitions of "logic" and "accuracy" do differ quite a bit Craig, but can anyone seriously claim that Karstens account of the press screening supports Eriks recollection of the event? I dare say no, not a bit. "Whatever was left of a packed house booed..." does deliberately convey the image of almost every single person in an audiences that - by this point wouldn't even fill half the seats in the auditorium - booed the movie. And this is simply not true - not by a very long shot. In general, the audience reacted far more favorably than I would have thought beforehand. It certainly was no triumph (and by the way, the quote from Blickpunkt: Film is NOT accurately translated), but the majority of the critics actually did enjoy the movie, quite a few of them to an even greater extent than my colleagues. But well, "300 screened to chorus of boos" sure DOES make a better headline than "Lukewarm reception for 300"...

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Hey good review. And thanks for telling us how awfull the movie is. The ignorant director thinks truth is relative. He didn't spend one minute researching history to at least make a more accurate portrait of Persians. Thanks again. Guys please vote on boycotting this movie on http://www.petitiononline.com/BTM3/petition.html.

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Oops. If there ever an example of why mainstream critics don't matter 300 is it. This movie is getting very positive ratings from moviegoers and weak ratings from the critics. I happened to think the villian in the movie had an amazingly terrific look and was a very cool character. Great Movie!

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Excuse me for my bad english , but by watching the trailers of this movie and reading the reviews , there is one thing clear , the movie has a very good visual effects and will attract the fans of this type which I am one .

the problem starts when you are actually a persian. Some reviews said that "It's a FICTION COMIC" . Well yes IT IS a fiction , because the king of half of the earth didn't have a cloth to put on or he couldn't even equip his soldiers with a shield ( it seems that persians were fighting with bones or somehing ). but if it is purposed to be comic and fiction , why addressing them with a nation that now exists and , well , their GOVERNMENT has a very tiny little conflict with the GOVERNMENT of the country producing the movie. What a cute coincidence !!!

You are right , Americans will enjoy the movie with chips and popcorn , but I think the intention of the movie was to prepare them to enjoy the real thing . well it says , " Prepare for Glory " .

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Speaking as a non-fanboy and a newcomer to Frank Miller's world, I
loved this movie. I also respect Erik's opinion as an opinion. I
don't agree with his attempt to justify it by elaborating about the
conditions of the theater or any kind of mob mentality (I ended up
seeing it in the far left of the front row of the theater with my
head cocked at a most uncomfortable angle, surrounded by a hoard of
moronic teenagers whose first thought at the mention of Greece is the
stuff that pours out of bacon when you fry it.) He's right, just
because everyone else thinks it's a great work of art, it doesn't
mean he has to jump on the bandwagon. At least he's not a puppet. I
for one was impressed with the accuracy of the portrayal of Spartan
Culture, it's level of faithfulness to the source material, and the
unique style in which the story was presented. So they had to fudge
a few facts here and there for dramatic purposes, that happens with
just about any movie based on a true story (keyword: based). Anyone
who thinks Braveheart is 100% true to the life of Willaim Wallace
ought to take a long look at a history book sometime, it's actually
based on a poetic retelling of his life written almost two centuries
after his death. Anyway, I say bravo to Erik for thinking for
himself and having the guts to speak his mind. It speaks great deal
to his character.

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Hmm, looks like this movie is doing AMAZING in the Box Office now. And your prediction of it being a "thump" was totally wrong. I will be sure never to read anything with your name on it again sir.

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Berliners most likely walked out because this film bears a striking resemblance to NAZI FASCIST PROPAGANDA FILMS of the 1930s (like "The Eternal Jew"). I'm pretty sure that Anti-American sentiments had nothing to do with their outrage. For more info on this controversy, go to these links:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03092007/entertainment/movies/persian_shrug_movies_kyle_smith.htm
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2007/03/300_as_fascist_.html
http://www.slate.com/id/2161450/

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