History YMMV / ThreeHundred

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Was Leonidas content to prove his point by [[spoiler:just "making a god-king bleed", or was he aiming to kill? Xerxes still bleeds anyway if he's killed, and that can't happen because of [[ForegoneConclusion history.]] The comic had no such ambiguity since there Leonidas screams "Xerxes, die!" Then in both the comic and movie, one notices the narrator (who wasn't a witness anyway) is making excuses why the spear throw only grazed Xerxes (long distance, he's tired, etc)]].

* AdaptationDisplacement: The comic was not very well known before the film came out.

* AmericansHateTingle: Naturally, the film was condemned as "Western Propaganda" in Iran due to [[UnfortunateImplications the way Persians were portrayed in that film]].

* AmericansHateTingle: Naturally, in Iran, where the movie was condemned as Western propaganda.

* {{Designated Villain}}s: The Persian soldiers are repeatedly mentioned to be nothing more than [[PunchClockVillain slaves]] forced by their fear of the king to fight. This is even meant to be derisive, as it implies they are at fault for not having enough bravery, strength or virtue to rebel against Xerxes or die trying as the Greeks do. Naturally, it doesn't make them any less sympathetic, especially to modern sensibilities. (Also because, as said above, this happens to be a huge historical deviation: Persian soldiers were certainly citizens forced into service by their monarchy, but they weren't literal slaves, while the Greeks didn't shy away from slavery themselves.) The Persian Empire was known to be fairly cosmopolitan and tolerant in real life, so their portrayal as cruel tyrants relative to the supposedly heroic Spartans feels more than a little suspect.

* HoYay: This movie might have been called ''Ho Yay: The Motion Picture''. [[TruthInTelevision In fact]], real-life Spartans in the ''agoge'' were encouraged to have a relationship with an older master who will train them. In some cases, girls had to shave themselves bald so that they could look like boys and get married.

* WatchItForTheMeme: Let's be honest, one of the reasons why people watch this film is because of the "This Is Sparta" scene and the [[StupidStatementDanceMix numerous musical remixes that have spawned from it]].

* {{Designated Hero}}es: Ordinarily, you wouldn't be rooting for a side that glorifies warfare, practices eugenics, is profoundly tribal/racist, executes diplomats and [[LeaveNoSurvivors systematically kills wounded and those attempting to surrender]]. The film gets away with it through sheer BlackAndGreyMorality, as the Persians are portrayed as even nastier tyrants who employ literal monsters, enslave entire cultures and massacre villages on their path, but this does not erase the Spartans's own crimes by modern standards (and cannot be accomplished without a healthy dose of ArtisticLicenseHistory, as those who are more familiar with the historical Greco-Persian Wars will know). As a consequence, ''300'' can be perceived to make an awkward stance, because it paints the Spartans as morally relatable even though it doesn't bother to cover most of their barbarism. It's tempting to view the Persians as misunderstood heroes leading the charge against a group of backwards, psychotic slavers who physically and sexually abuse their children. This is taken even further by ''Film/ThreeHundredRiseOfAnEmpire'', where the Spartans' TrainingFromHell is shown from the perspective of Athenian Themistocles, and there's nothing glorious about it, just four grown men beating up a child.

* SignatureScene: The scene where Leonidas kicks a Persian messenger into a well in a show of patriotism became the best-known moment in the film as a result of its over-the-top presentation and Leonidas' hammy delivery of the line "This! Is! ''Sparta!''" The scene became a popular subject for parody, especially online, where it generated a popular WebAnimation/YouTubePoop meme in the form of Sparta Remixes.