"300" ** (out of four): Frank Miller's beloved interpretation of the Battle of Thermopylae is given the "Sin City" treatment with wildly mixed results.

There is an axiom against which any graphic novel adaptation should be held: just because we can make it, doesn’t mean we should. I had my apprehensions about Robert Rodriguez taking Frank Miller’s gleefully gory “Sin City” and turning it into a black-and-white pet project. But happily, and despite a few too many bursts of color, Mr. Rodriguez’ eye for the material and ear for dark humor proved me wrong. With my defenses lowered, and after a slam-bang preview, I was less wary about director Zack Snyder’s take on “300”, Mr. Miller’s beloved interpretation of the Battle of Thermopylae. This time, however, something didn’t quite fit. While the film is stunning to look at, the added scenes and scenery-devouring acting fall flat.

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