300 Rise of an Empire

300 Rise of an Empire

300: Rise of an Empire is a 2014 American fantasy war film directed by Noam Murro. It is a follow-up to the 2007 film 300, taking place before, during, and after the events of that film with a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Salamis.It is based on the as-yet-unreleased Frank Millergraphic novel Xerxes. Zack Snyder, who directed and co-wrote the original film, acts as writer and producer on Rise of an Empire.

The cast includes Lena Headey, Rodrigo Santoro, David Wenham, Andrew Tiernan, Andrew Pleavin and Peter Mensah reprising their roles from the first film, alongside Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, and Jack O'Connell. It was released in 3D and IMAX 3D on March 7, 2014. The composer for the film is Junkie XL

Queen Gorgo tells her men about the Battle of Marathon, in which King Darius I of Persia was killed by General Themistocles of Athens. Darius' son,Xerxes, witnesses his father's death, and is advised to not continue the war, since "only the gods could defeat the Greeks". Darius' naval commander, Artemisia, claims that Darius' last words were in fact a challenge and sends Xerxes on a journey through the desert. Xerxes finally reaches a cave and bathes in an otherworldly liquid, emerging as the "God-King". He returns to Persia and declares war on Greece.

As Xerxes' forces advance towards Thermopylae, Themistocles meets with the council and convinces them to provide him with a fleet to engage the Persians at sea. Themistocles then travels to Sparta to ask King Leonidas for help, but is informed by Dilios that Leonidas is consulting the Oracle, and Gorgo is reluctant to side with Athens. Themistocles later reunites with his old friend Scyllas, who infiltrated the Persian troops and learned Artemisia was born Greek, but defected to Persia as her family was raped and murdered by Greek hoplites and she was taken as a sex slave to the Greeks, who left her for dead in the streets. She was rescued and adopted by the Persians. Her lust for vengeance gained the attention of King Darius and he made her a naval commander after she killed many of his enemies.

Themistocles leads his men, which include Scyllas, Scyllas' son Calisto and Themistocles' right-hand man Aesyklos to the Aegean Sea. They ram their ships into the Persian ships and charge them, slaughtering several soldiers before retreating. The following day, the Greeks force one of the Persian ships into a crevice, where it becomes struck, and charge the other ships, killing more Persians. Impressed with Themistocles' skills, Artemisia has him brought onto her ship where they have sex as she tries to convince him to join the Persians as her second-in-command. He refuses, causing her to push him aside and swear revenge.

The Persians spill tar into the sea and send suicide bombers to swim to and board the Greek ships with their flame bombs. Artemisia and her men fire flaming arrows and torches to ignite the tar, but Themistocles manages to kill one of the soldiers, who falls into the tar carrying a torch, causing ships from both sides to explode. Themistocles is thrown into the sea by an explosion and nearly drowns before being rescued by Calisto, and stands by Scyllas' side as he succumbs to his injuries. Believing Themistocles to be dead, Artemisia and her forces withdraw.

Themistocles learns that Leonidas and the 300 have been killed by Xerxes and returns to Athens to confront Ephialtes, the deformed Spartan traitor, who reveals that Xerxes plans to attack Athens, and is regretful of his actions, welcoming death. Themistocles spares him instead, so he can warn Xerxes that the Greek forces are gathering at Salamis, and then visits Gorgo in Sparta while she is mourning Leonidas to ask for her help, but she is too overcome with grief. Before leaving, Themistocles returns Leonidas' sword, which he took from Ephialtes, that had earlier stolen it, and urges Gorgo to avenge Leonidas.

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300:_Rise_of_an_Empire