300 began as a graphic novel written by Frank Miller in 1998, the film has since evolved into a parallel representation of the Iraq War and defends the United State's current political and government situation. The way that the Spartans believed they were superior to Eastern civilizations is in direct correlation to the way that US citizens look down on the values of the people in the Middle East. In the movie, the Spartans fight to defend themselves against the Persians who wish to invade and enslave all of the Western civilizations. This defends the United State's decision to go to war with Iraq because we "feared" they possessed weapons of mass destruction and were going to continue to terrorize the US. The message of the movie is conveyed through various methods throughout the movie:
- physical appearance of the Eastern civilizations, deformed, ugly, hideous monsters and sub-human
- the physical appearance of the Spartans, healthy, perfect physique, and god-like
Another issue that arises is that the King of the Spartans proceeded to confront the Persians without the permission of the Legislative government. This parallels the current situation in which the President called for an attack on Iraq without the consent of the UN. At the end of the film, the Spartans are defeated, becoming martyrs for their country. This serves as a great ending, as it is meant to fill the audience with great pride for the warriors of the west.
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