Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Leonidas, the king of the Spartans, led an alliance of Greek city-states, while the Persians were commanded by Xerxes I. By positioning his troops strategically, Leonidas succeeded in thwarting the Persian advance. Only when a local shepherd named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks, revealing a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines, were the Persians able to form a second front against Leonidas. In order to secure the retreat of the rest of his army, Leonidas barricaded himself into a fortress along with 300 loyal followers...