Movies

This Is Madness!

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Do I look like I want to super-size my combo?Hang on, I’m sorry — “300” made how much over the weekend?

Sweet merciful crap.

I mean, sure, in a universe where “Ghost Rider” can enjoy a $50 million four-day opening weekend, a bigger bow for a comic-book movie with a less snicker-inducing trailer probably shouldn’t surprise … but, really? Seventy million dollars? That’s a lot of tickets.

I wonder how many people left the theater discussing its various subtexts. “300” is turning out to be this year’s “Passion of the Christ” in its textual flexibility, with people divining hidden messages in its story and imagery from every corner of the ideological map.

The New York Times weighed in on the question of whether “300” can work as a present-day political allegory — and if so, whether it’s pro-Bush or anti-Bush. And Andrew Sullivan considers a different military message: How gay is it?

I can’t honestly say. But it’s definitely on poppers.

Still, y’know, to each his own. Personally, I preferred “Sin City” — and ironically, of the recent Miller adaptations, it’s easily the most Spartan. And Mickey Rourke certainly qualifies as a gladiator.

(Yes, I know, the Spartans of “300” aren’t gladiators. But the Spartans of “300” aren’t exactly Spartans, either. It’s a whole aesthetic thing. Move along.)

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