History wrought in gore

YOU don't need to know anything about ancient Greek history to appreciate 300: Rise of an Empire but it helps, especially when it comes to pronouncing those pesky Greek and Spartan names.

It's been seven years since Zack Snyder's 300 depicted - in gory detail and memorable style - the Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas and 300 fellow Spartans perished heroically at the hands of the Persian Army. The much-anticipated sequel-of-sorts takes up where the original left off, covering the same time period and parallel events - primarily the naval Battle of Artemesium where an alliance of Greek ships faced off against a much larger Persian force.

The result is pretty much the same as 300, only this time there's even more raw sex and graphic violence - or is that graphic sex and raw violence?

Anyway, leather fetishists can look forward to a show of the latest in gladiator fashions as well as an impressive display of beefcake and quivering pectorals. There is also, in the words of the narrator, "a tidal wave of blood".

Rise of an Empire is a series of bloody battles sandwiched mainly by a few cliched scenes of the Athenian General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) rousing his men to battle and of Artemesia (Eva Green), the raven-haired commander of the Persian navy, sending her troops to a painful death. Queen Gorgo (Lena Headley), Leonidas's strong-willed widow, returns in a small but pivotal role, as does the Persian King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro).

The problem with Rise of an Empire is not the excessive violence - blood gushes at every opportunity -the lame dialogue or even Stapleton's annoying Aussie accent that almost makes you miss Gerard Butler.

The battle scenes are brutal and beautiful in a perverted sense, but the shock and awe that was an essential and enjoyable part of the original experience is largely absent this time around, because we pretty much know what to expect - although there is an interesting scene when, during a subsequent battle, a Persian diver is unwittingly turned into an early example of a suicide bomber by Artemesia - a woman who is equally ruthless in both battlefield and bedroom.

The film was directed by Noam Murro and based once again on a graphic novel by Frank Miller. Snyder, whose distinctive visual style from the original is much in evidence here, serves as one of the producers and also wrote the screenplay with Kurt Johnstad.

Seven years is a long time between movies and the weight of expectation was probably a bit too much for Rise to bear. Note to the producers: if you're planning to make a third film in the 300 series - perhaps depicting the Battle of Plataea in which the Persians suffered a decisive defeat - don't wait another seven years.

Rating: C+