300: Rise of An Empire takes place simultaneously as its box-office-smash predecessor, 300. As the Persian military draws closer to Greece, general turned politician Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) readies his countrymen and leads the charge against the invading Persian forces at sea led by Artemisia (Eva Green), the most skilled and merciless commander in the Persian navy. With long sweeping action shots and incredible visuals and fight choreography, this follow-up was just as fresh as the original. It was actually the first movie I’ve really enjoyed in 3D.

Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times writes, “As much performance art as movie, 300: Rise of an Empire unfolds as beautiful, bloody, slow-motion machismo. Torsos bared, swords flashing, another 300 rock the leather skirts and loincloths with pounding, passionate music perfectly underscoring this latest round of the ‘beautiful death’ the ancient Greeks were so poetic about.” Boxoffice.com anticipates that 300: Rise of an Empire will open at $33M this weekend.

Rating: R // Genre: Action, Drama, War // Runtime: 1 hr. and 42 min. // Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson and Callan Mulvey // Directed by: Noam Murro // Screenplay by: Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad // Based on the Graphic Novel by: Frank Miller // Produced by: Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures, Cruel and Unusual Films/Mark Canton/Gianni Nunnari Productions // Distributed by: Warner Bros.