300 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

300 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 1, 2020

NOTE: The screenshots in this review are taken from the included Blu-ray, which is identical to the 2007 release.

Warner Bros. once again digs into their deep back catalog for another 4K upgrade, this time for Zack Synder's visually ambitious 300. Based on Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's popular 1998 limited series, it's a pure example of style over substance... but if you enjoyed the original books, there's no reason why you wouldn't love this violent, effects-heavy adaptation. The film first arrived on Blu-ray as a standard edition (linked above) and a later "Complete Experience" Digibook that added several new bonus features including three picture-in-picture tracks. While 300's native 2K digital intermediate doesn't make it a top-tier candidate for 4K, this UHD disc adds HDR10 enhancement and a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix to pull first-time viewers and die-hard fans that much deeper into the fray.

For a synopsis and appreciation of the film, please refer to either Blu-ray review linked above. Much like Sin City (another bloody, effects-heavy Frank Miller adaptation), 300 is not an exercise in flawless storytelling but certainly enjoyable as a stylized, atmospheric tour de force that clearly pays homage to its testosterone-fueled source material. Just don't go in expecting a realistic, historically accurate swords-and-sandals epic and you'll be fine.

300 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Surprisingly, not much say about WB's 2160p transfer other than it offers a solid overall boost to the original 2K source elements. 300 is one of the most heavily stylized live-action films of the last 20 years: it's absolutely loaded with visual effects and has perhaps more blue-screen than a year's worth of weather forecasts. As such, it can't be judged in line with most other films due to its intentionally boosted contrast, heavily tinted color, added grain (and traditional film grain, as it was shot in 35mm), and dozens more heavy and subtle tweaks that give it a striking, almost otherworldly appearance. Simply put, this transfer just adds a little more of everything: image detail is better refined, colors are more suitably saturated, and black levels run deeper. Many of these improvements are also due to its new HDR10 grading, which brings out all the golden yellows, deep crimsons, steely blues, and every other hue in the film's very specific palette, which clearly pays respect to the original comic's painterly color schemes by Lynn Varley.

As solid as the original Blu-ray looked (which is still impressive some 13 years later), this 4K disc beats it by either a narrow or decent margin in just about every conceivable category and clearly stands as the film's best home video presentation to date. Simply put: 300 looks exactly like you want it to on 4K: a little more, and nothing less.

300 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Even more immediately impressive is the new Dolby Atmos mix which, as always, automatically unfolds to lossless TrueHD 7.1 if you're not equipped for the newer format. In many ways, 300 is just as stylized and ambitious from a sonic perspective as a visual one, with the final stretch exploding into a maelstrom of surround activity and discrete panning efforts, all supported by plenty of LFE and a very strong dynamic range. The additional rear channels, not to mention Atmos' height presence, amplify the battle-driven moments and, occasionally, the original score by Tyler Bates. Highlights include the entirety of hand-to-hand combat sequences, the multiple overhead arrow volleys, rousing speeches by Leonidas, a handful of strong weather-related events and, well, pretty much 75% of the movie overall. It's just an all-out sonic assault more often than not so, if you liked how 300 sounded before, you'll love it now. Speaking of "sounded before", that's about the only nitpick I can muster here: unfortunately the original 5.1 mix is not offered as a separate option (a Warner Bros. tradition!), although it's at least still present on the included Blu-ray.

Optional dubs and subtitles, including English (SDH), are listed above; they're formatted perfectly but, for whatever reason, sit partially outside the 2.39:1 frame, which will annoy anyone with a properly equipped projector setup.

300 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release arrives in a dual-hubbed keepcase with terrific cover art, a matching slipcover, and a Digital Copy redemption slip. The included Blu-ray is identical to the 2007 release and holds all of the bonus features listed below, although the filmmakers' audio commentary is also playable on the 4K disc.

• Audio Commentary with director Zack Snyder, writer Kurt Johnstad, and cinematographer Larry Fong

• The 300: Fact or Fiction? (24:36)

• Who Were the Spartans?: The Warriors of 300 (4:32)

• Preparing for Battle: Test Footage (6:43)

• Frank Miller Tapes (14:42)

• The Making of 300 (5:51)

• Making 300 in Images (3:40)

• Production Webisodes (12 clips, 38:23 total)

• Deleted Scenes (3:23)

300 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Zack Synder's 300 is an ambitious, visuals-first production that pays respects to its source material and, like Sin City, caters to established fans but is accessible enough for outsiders. It's not the pinnacle of narrative storytelling but instead takes a "what you see is what you get" approach and succeeds on that base level. Warner Bros.' new 4K disc improves upon the original Blu-ray's A/V specs with striking, HDR-infused visuals and a bombastic Dolby Atmos mix, but offers nothing in the way of new extras -- or even less, if you already own the impressive "Complete Experience" Digibook from 2009. So while this isn't quite a definitive total package, from a 4K perspective it's another win.