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{{Short description|2008 film by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer}}
{{Synthesis|date=February 2009}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox film {{Infobox film
| name = Meet the Spartans | name = Meet the Spartans
| image = Meet the Spartans poster.jpg | image = Meet the Spartans poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = ]
| director = {{plainlist|
| producer = Jason Friedberg<br />Aaron Seltzer<br />]
| writer = Jason Friedberg<br />Aaron Seltzer * ]
* ]
| narrated by = ]
| starring = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]
| music = ]
| cinematography = Shawn Maurer
| editing = Peck Prior
| studio = ]<br />]<br />3 in the Box
| distributor = ]
| released = {{Film date|2008|1|25}}
| runtime = 83 minutes<br>86 minutes (unrated version)
| country = Canada<br />United States
| language = English
| budget = $30 million
| gross = $84,646,831
}} }}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
'''''Meet the Spartans''''' is a 2008 ] directed by ].<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1073498/releaseinfo#akas</ref> Similar to past movies, such as '']'', '']'', and most recently '']'', it directs parodies at various films. Although it references many movies, TV shows, people and pop cultural events, it focuses mainly on the 2007 film '']''. It opened #1 in the US box office, despite receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews. The film stars ], ] and ] as The Captain.
* Jason Friedberg
* Aaron Seltzer
* ]
}}
| writer = {{Plainlist|
* Jason Friedberg
* Aaron Seltzer
}}
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| narrator =
| music = ]
| cinematography = ]
| editing = Peck Prior
| studio = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]
* 3 in the Box
}}
| distributor = ]
| released = {{Film date|2008|01|25}}
| runtime = 83 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 83:30--><ref>{{cite web | url=http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/meet-spartans-2008-0 | title=''MEET THE SPARTANS'' (12A) | work=] | date=January 11, 2008 | access-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $30 million<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet the Spartans (2008) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Meet-the-Spartans#tab=summary |website=] |access-date=2020-10-10 }}</ref>
| gross = $84.6 million<ref name="mojo"/>
}}
'''''Meet the Spartans''''' is a 2008 American ] written and directed by ].<ref> at ]</ref> The film is mainly a parody of the 2006 film '']'', although it also references many other films, TV shows, people and pop cultural events of the time, in a manner similar to previous films that Friedberg and Seltzer had been involved in such as '']'', '']'' and '']''. The film stars ], ], ], and ].

''Meet the Spartans'' opened at {{abbr|No.|Number}}&nbsp;1 in the United States. It received negative reviews and appeared on several ]. It went on to gross $84 million on a budget of $30 million.


==Plot== ==Plot==
The film opens with a ]n elder inspecting an ugly, talking baby (an ogre from '']''); it is abandoned to die for its deformity. A second baby, who is Vietnamese, is adopted by ] and ]. Baby ] is then inspected, having a six-pack, biceps and beard from birth. He is accepted as a Spartan and prepared for kinghood through his childhood training, from fighting his grandmother to enduring torture (a la ]). Leonidas (]) is then cast out into the wild, and survives the harsh winter and a ] ] (]). Returning a king for his ] wearing a penguin skin hat, Leonidas sees ] (]) erotically dancing and asks her to marry him, to which she responds by giving him the combination to her ]. ] ]. The first, an ugly, talking baby ogre ('']''), is abandoned to die for its deformity; while ] and ] adopt the second, who is Vietnamese. The third, ], is accepted as a Spartan for his already-present muscular physique and is prepared for kinghood through brutal training. An adult Leonidas is cast out into the wild, survives the harsh winter, and hunts down a ] ] named Mumble ('']''). Returning as king for his inauguration wearing a penguin skin hat, Leonidas sees ] erotically dancing and asks her to marry him, to which she responds by giving him the combination to her armor-plated ].


Years later, Leonidas is ] his son when Captain (]) informs him that a Persian messenger has arrived. Accompanied by the Spartan politician Traitoro, the messenger has come to present ]' demands for Sparta's submission. Leonidas arrives to greet the messenger in the Spartan way (high-fives for the women and open mouth tongue kisses for the men). After growing angry with both the messenger's disrespect and finding him making out with his wife, Leonidas kicks him into the ']'. Despite "Traitoro's" advice that the messenger's guards are now needed to convey the actual message, Leonidas kicks them in as well. Afterwards, he dumps in several other people he simply dislikes, including ] (]), ] and the judges for '']'' before having ] fling himself in. Resolving to face the ]ns, Leonidas visits the ], for any advice. The Oracle, ], reveals that Leonidas will die should he go to war. After reaching a decision while spending the night with his wife, Leonidas meets the soldiers assembled for his departure to ], and finds that only 13 (not 300) were accepted in the army, since there were stringent specifications to be accepted— "Hunky with deep Mediterranean tans, hot bods, and ]". Three among them include Captain, his son, Sonio, and a slightly unfit Spartan named Dilio, who, as the Captain states, "Has a lot of heart...and nice ]." Once at the Hot Gates, they encounter the deformed ] (also played by Parker), who tells Leonidas and the Captain about a secret goat path above the Hot Gates that Xerxes could use to outflank the Spartans. When she asks to be made a Spartan soldier, Leonidas rejects her as unqualified due to her inability to use a spear correctly. Leonidas and his platoon soon face off with Xerxes' messenger and his Immortals, beating them in a ] before driving them off a cliff. Xerxes (]), who, is described as, "sort of looked like that fat guy from '']''", impressed, personally approaches Leonidas and attempts to ]. The Spartan king declines, saying that he will instead make him fall. The Spartans then face the ]n army in a "]" fight. The Spartans end with a victory, in spite of Dilio having his eyes scratched out. Years later, Leonidas is ] his son when Captain informs him that a Persian messenger has arrived. Accompanied by the Spartan politician Traitoro, the messenger presents Persian King ]' demands for Sparta's submission. After growing angry with both the messenger's disrespect and finding him making out with his wife, Leonidas kicks him into a pit. Despite Traitoro's advice that the messenger's guards are now needed to convey the actual message, Leonidas kicks them in as well, along with ] and ], ], ], and the '']'' judges ], ] and ]. Resolving to face the ], Leonidas visits the prophets and gives them medicines such as ] as their price for their consultation. They advise him that he should consult the ] for any advice. The Oracle ] reveals that Leonidas will die should he go to war.


After deciding while spending the night with his wife, Leonidas meets the soldiers assembled for his departure to ], and finds that only thirteen were accepted in the army due to stringent requirements. Among them are Captain, his son Sonio, and a slightly unfit Spartan named Dilio. Once at the Hot Gates, they encounter a deformed ], who tells Leonidas and the Captain about a secret goat path above the Hot Gates that Xerxes could use to outflank the Spartans. When she asks to be made a Spartan soldier, Leonidas rejects her as unqualified because she cannot use a spear correctly. Leonidas and his platoon soon face off with Xerxes' messenger and his ], beating them in a ] before driving them off a cliff. Xerxes, impressed, personally approaches Leonidas and attempts to ] with a trip to the ]. Leonidas declines, and the Spartans face the Persian army in a "]" fight, which the Spartans win, but Dilio has his eyes scratched out and wanders away.
Though victory seemed to be in the Spartans' grasp, ] betrays the Spartans and reveals the location of the goat path to Xerxes in return for various gifts. Using a ] army (with the ] blatantly shown), Xerxes meets the twelve remaining Spartans and the war is on. Meanwhile, back in Sparta, Queen Margo has several confrontations with Traitoro, because he is the vital vote in sending more troops to assist her husband. Following her address to the Council, Traitoro publicly betrays the Queen. She defeats him in battle. Evidence is shown he is a traitor, uniting the council with the queen. At the ], the Persians introduce their secret weapons: ] and ], who kills Sonio with a decapitating uppercut before his father avenges him with Botox poisoning. But when Captain is struck down by Xerxes, Leonidas pursues Xerxes and plays ]. Managing to find the "]", Xerxes uses it in a car to become ] as he shows off his powers to access the "]" video on ]. However, Xerxestron trips on his extension cord, fulfilling Leonidas' vow that he would fall at the cost of himself and surviving Spartans being crushed. The blind Dilio, who left prior to the final battle, eventually returns to Sparta to tell of Leonidas' final moments. A year later, Dilio leads a force of one hundred real Spartans and several thousand CGI-ones to defeat the Persians, but the blind warrior ends up going the wrong way. They end up in ] where they knock ] down as she is leaving ] (again).


Deciding to betray the Spartans, Hilton tells Xerxes where the goat path is in return for various gifts and for having her deformed hump removed. Xerxes meets the twelve remaining Spartans and the war begins. Meanwhile, back in Sparta, Queen Margo has several confrontations with Traitoro, as he is the vital vote in sending more troops to assist her husband. Following her address to the council, Traitoro publicly betrays the Queen, who then battles him in a parody of '']'' and defeats him using a ]. With Traitoro's deceit exposed, the council is united with the queen.
The film ends with a musical number set to ]'s "]" performed on '']'' by all of the characters in the film.

At the ], the Persians introduce their secret weapons, ] and ], who kills Sonio with a decapitating uppercut. Captain avenges him with ] poisoning before being struck down by Xerxes. Leonidas pursues Xerxes and plays '']''. Managing to find the "]", Xerxes uses it in a car to become ] and shows off his powers to access the "]" video on ]. However, Xerxestron accidentally trips on his extension cord and falls on Leonidas and the surviving Spartans, killing them. The blind Dilio eventually returns to Sparta to inform Queen Margo of Leonidas's death. A year later, Dilio leads a larger Spartan force to defeat the Persians, but the blind warrior ends up going the wrong way. They end up in ], where they knock ] down as she is leaving ] again.

The film ends with the characters singing "]" on the ''American Idol'' stage, as the credits appear.


==Cast== ==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* ] as ] * ] as ]
** ] as young Leonidas
* ] as Captain Artemis
* ] as ] * ] as ]
* ] as ] * ] as ]
* ] as Captain
* ] as Dilio
* ] as Sonio
* ] as Councilman Traitoro * ] as Councilman Traitoro
* ] as Sonio
* Hunter Clary as Leo Jr.
* ] as ]
* ] as ], ], ], ]
* ] as ], Prophet, ]
* Hunter Clary as ]
* ] as Messenger * ] as Messenger
* ] as Persian Emissary * ] as Persian Emissary
* Andy Basargian as ]
* ] as ], ], ], ]
* Ryan Fraley as ] * Tiffany Claus as ]
* Nick Steele as ]
* ] as ]
* ] as ] * ] as ]
* ] as ]
* ] as ], ], ]
* ] as ]
* Christopher Lett as ] * Christopher Lett as ]
* ] as Loyalist, ] * ] as Loyalist, ]
* ] as ] * ] as ]
* ] as ]/], Spartan Woman * ] as Oracle/], Spartan Woman
* ] (''uncredited'') as Narrator
* Thomas McKenna as ] * Thomas McKenna as ]
* Jesse Lewis IV as Ms. Jay Alexander * Jesse Lewis IV as Ms. Jay Alexander
Line 59: Line 92:
* Belinda Waymouth as ] * Belinda Waymouth as ]
* ] as ], ] * ] as ], ]
* Emily Wilson as ] * ] as ]
* John Di Domenico as ] * ] as ]
* Jim Nieb as ] * Jim Nieb as ]
* ] as Narrator (Uncredited) * ] as Urban Girl
}}


==Critical reception== == Release ==
=== Box office ===
The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film 25th in the 100 worst reviewed films of the 2000s, with a rating of 2%."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_the_spartans/ |title=Meet the Spartans - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2008-01-28 |publisher=]}}</ref> ] reported the film had an average score of 9 out of 100, based on 11 reviews &mdash; indicating "extreme dislike or disgust" and being the worst received film by the director on the site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/meetthespartans |title=Meet the Spartans (2008): Reviews |accessdate=2008-01-28 |publisher=]}}</ref>
''Meet the Spartans'' opened at number one at the US box office, grossing $18,505,530 over its opening weekend,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.the-numbers.com/charts/weekly/2008/20080125.php |title=US Movie Box Office Chart Weekend of January 25, 2008 |website= The Numbers |access-date = 2008-01-31 }}</ref> narrowly edging out fellow newcomer '']'', which was briefly parodied in the credits of this film. The film dropped 60.4% in its second weekend grossing $7,336,595 expanding to 2,643 theaters while ranking fourth at the box office. The film grossed $38,233,676 in United States and Canada and grossed $45,787,889 internationally, adding up to a total worldwide gross of $84,021,565.<ref name="mojo">{{mojo title|meetthespartans}}</ref>


=== Critical response ===
One reviewer in ]'s '']'' gave the film a score of zero, as did ]'s Day and Night while an ]n newspaper review described it as being "as funny as a burning ]". The ] said "After enduring the torturously unfunny ''Date Movie'' and ''Epic Movie'', one could be forgiven for concluding that the art of cinematic parody was in terminal decline. This latest installment in Friedberg and Seltzer's franchise hammers a final nail into the coffin with an utterly atrocious collection of imbecilic skits... it's junk-food cinema at its worst. One cringes to think what future cultural historians will make of it… and us."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?frn=47713&searchTypeSelect=5 |title=Meet the Spartans (2008): Reviews |accessdate=2009-12-13 |publisher=]}}</ref> In ], '']'' reviewer Wendy Ide suggested that the producers of the film were not aiming for 'laughs' but "a simian grunt of recognition from an audience that must have been practically brain-dead to fork out £10 to see a film that can’t even master the concept of ]?". This film was the lowest-rated of the 2008 film season.
''Meet the Spartans'' was universally panned by critics. On ] ], the film has an approval rating of 2% based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 2.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "A tired, unfunny, offensive waste of time, ''Meet the Spartans'' scrapes the bottom of the cinematic barrel."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_the_spartans/ |title=Meet the Spartans (2008) |website=] |access-date=27 November 2024 }}</ref> On ], the film received a score of 9 based on 11 reviews, indicating "overwhelming dislike", being the worst received film by the directors on the site.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/meetthespartans |title=Meet the Spartans (2008): Reviews |website=] |access-date=2020-04-01 |archive-date=January 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127064737/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/meetthespartans |url-status=dead }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by ] gave the film a grade C− on a scale from A+ to F.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Joshua Rich |title=''Spartans'' stops ''Rambo'' |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/01/29/spartans-stops-rambo/ |magazine=] |date=January 29, 2008 |quote=the movie’s CinemaScore was a terrible C- (coming from a crowd that was, not surprisingly 58 percent male and three-quarters under the age of 25)}}</ref>


'']'' called it "Lazy, lame and painfully unfunny, Meet the Spartans is yet another scrambled-genre parody."<ref name="Leydon">{{cite web |last=Leydon |first=Joe |author-link=Joe Leydon |title=Meet the Spartans |url=https://variety.com/review/VE1117935938 |website=] |date=25 January 2008 }}</ref> Frank Scheck of ] wrote: "Writer-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer basically reprise the tired formula from their earlier efforts, which is to throw in as many pop culture references as possible to cover up the lack of any real wit."<ref name="Scheck">{{Cite news |last=Scheck |first=Frank |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/meet-spartans-125987 |title=Meet the Spartans - Bottom Line: "300" was funnier. |access-date=2008-01-28 |work=] }} <br /> {{cite web |date=26 January 2008 |last=Scheck |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Scheck |title=Obvious gags, laugh-free jokes vanquish "Spartans" |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/review-film-spartans-dc-idUSN2537785120080126 |website=Reuters }}</ref> Jeannette Catsoulis of '']'' gave it a 1 out of 5 and wrote: "Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the team behind Meet the Spartans, prove that ridiculing other movies is much easier than making your own." Catsoulis said the various audience reactions at the screening she attended summed it up best: Eewwww! Aaarghh! Huh?<ref>{{cite web |date=26 January 2008 |last=Catsoulis |first=Jeannette |title=Doing Battle on the Field of Parody (Published 2008) |website=] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/movies/26spar.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007182753/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/movies/26spar.html | archive-date=2017-10-07 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2008 |author=Gene Seymour |title='Meet the Spartans' |url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/meet-the-spartans-1.878335 |website=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016032635/https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/meet-the-spartans-1.878335 |archive-date=2010-10-16 |quote=What's the point of making a parody that's dumber than the stuff it parodies? }}</ref> Critic Garth Franklin of ''Dark Horizons'' called it "One of the most painfully bad comedies I've ever had to endure, and I've seen the collected works of ], ], ] AND ]."<ref name="Franklin">{{cite web |date=25 January 2008 |last=Franklin |first=Garth |title=Review: "Meet the Spartans" |url=https://www.darkhorizons.com/review-meet-the-spartans/ |website=Dark Horizons }}</ref>
Most of the film's criticism consisted of not having many actual jokes and instead having an over-reliance on ] references.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?JSESSIONID=qpm9HhsDPFLpzJ9MfRpVc5QvzVf1Z16Kb64GVWKpFfFdcLTVcpfD!-1562314872&&rid=10537 |title=Meet the Spartans - Bottom Line: "300" was funnier. |accessdate=2008-01-28 |publisher=] |deadurl=yes}} {{Dead link|date=February 2012|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> Several recurring gags were criticized for being overused, such as throwing various celebrities down the Pit of Death or the ambiguous sexuality of the Spartans.
The ] said "After enduring the torturously unfunny ''Date Movie'' and ''Epic Movie'', one could be forgiven for concluding that the art of cinematic parody was in terminal decline. This latest installment in Friedberg and Seltzer's franchise hammers a final nail into the coffin with an utterly atrocious collection of imbecilic skits... it's junk-food cinema at its worst. One cringes to think what future cultural historians will make of it… and us."<ref>{{cite web |date=2008 |author=Jamie Russell |title=Meet the Spartans – review |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/szqv/meet-the-spartans/ |website=] |access-date=2020-10-10 |archive-date=July 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701061729/http://www.radiotimes.com/film/szqv/meet-the-spartans |url-status=dead }} {{Rating|1|5}}</ref>


Clark Collis of '']'' gave it a mixed review<!-- Metacritic claims this counts as mixed -->, crediting the actors for their efforts but criticizing the script and the already dated jokes, giving it a grade C−.<ref name="Collis">{{cite magazine |date=February 6, 2008 |author=Clark Collis |title=Meet the Spartans |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/02/06/meet-spartans/ |magazine=] }}</ref>
The film's score by ] was commended by Christian Clemmensen from Filmtracks.com, who considered it one of the biggest "guilty pleasures" of 2008.<ref></ref>


Most of the film's criticism consisted of not having many actual jokes and instead having an over-reliance on ] references.<ref name="Scheck" /> Several recurring gags were criticized for being overused, such as the ambiguous sexuality of the Spartans<!-- "after the 10th or 20th repetition" --><ref name="Leydon" /> and throwing various celebrities down the Pit of Death.
Upon news of ''Meet the Spartans'' box office success, '']'' staff created a sketch that parodies all previous "Parody Movies" by mentioning the film's weak comedy stunts.


The film's score by ] was commended by Christian Clemmensen from ], who considered it one of the biggest "guilty pleasures" of 2008.<ref> at ]</ref>
On January 21, 2009, the film received five nominations for the ] ]s:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.razzies.com/history/29thNoms.asp|title=RAZZIES.COM 2008 Nominations|author=John Wilson|publisher=Razzie Awards|date=2009-01-21|accessdate=2009-01-21|authorlink=John Wilson (Golden Raspberry)}}</ref> Worst Picture (jointly with '']''), Worst Supporting Actress (Electra), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel.


=== Accolades ===
===Box office performance {{Anchor|Box Office}}===
{{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}}
Despite the overwhelmingly negative critical reaction, the film opened #1 at the US box office, grossing $18,505,530 over its opening weekend,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/charts/weekly/2008/20080125.php|title=US Movie Box Office Chart Weekend of January 25, 2008|accessdate = 2008-01-31 |publisher = The Numbers}}</ref> narrowly edging out fellow newcomer '']'', which was briefly parodied in the credits of this film. The film dropped 60.4% in its second weekend grossing $7,336,595 expanding to 2643 theaters while ranking fourth at the box office. The film grossed $38,233,676 in the United States and Canada and grossed $45,787,889 Internationally, adding up to a Worldwide gross of $84,021,565.
On January 21, 2009, the film received five nominations for the ] ]s:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.razzies.com/history/29thNoms.asp|title=RAZZIES.COM 2008 Nominations|author=John Wilson|publisher=Razzie Awards|date=2009-01-21|access-date=2009-01-21|author-link=John J. B. Wilson}}</ref> Worst Picture (jointly with '']''), Worst Supporting Actress (Electra), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel.


==Home media== == References ==
The film was released on ] and ] on June 3, 2008, in an "Unrated Pit of Death" Edition and a ]/theatrical release of the film. The theatrical cut does not include extras but includes widescreen and full screen versions on one dual disc. A "ruder & cruder" version was later released in the UK on August 18.

==See also==
* '']''
* '']''
* '']''
* '']''

==References==
{{More footnotes|date=February 2009}}
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Wikiquote}} {{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.meetthespartans.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|1073498}} * {{IMDb title|1073498}}
* {{Amg movie|422457}}
* {{mojo title|meetthespartans}} * {{mojo title|meetthespartans}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|meet_the_spartans}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|meet_the_spartans}}
* {{metacritic film|meetthespartans}} * {{Metacritic film}}


{{Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer}}
{{FriedbergSeltzer}}


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Latest revision as of 02:27, 28 November 2024

2008 film by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer

Meet the Spartans
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Jason Friedberg
  • Aaron Seltzer
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyShawn Maurer
Edited byPeck Prior
Music byChristopher Lennertz
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • January 25, 2008 (2008-01-25)
Running time83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million
Box office$84.6 million

Meet the Spartans is a 2008 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. The film is mainly a parody of the 2006 film 300, although it also references many other films, TV shows, people and pop cultural events of the time, in a manner similar to previous films that Friedberg and Seltzer had been involved in such as Scary Movie, Date Movie and Epic Movie. The film stars Sean Maguire, Carmen Electra, Ken Davitian, and Kevin Sorbo.

Meet the Spartans opened at No. 1 in the United States. It received negative reviews and appeared on several lists of the worst films ever made. It went on to gross $84 million on a budget of $30 million.

Plot

A Spartan elder inspects three babies. The first, an ugly, talking baby ogre (Shrek the Third), is abandoned to die for its deformity; while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie adopt the second, who is Vietnamese. The third, Leonidas, is accepted as a Spartan for his already-present muscular physique and is prepared for kinghood through brutal training. An adult Leonidas is cast out into the wild, survives the harsh winter, and hunts down a gangsta penguin named Mumble (Happy Feet). Returning as king for his inauguration wearing a penguin skin hat, Leonidas sees Margo erotically dancing and asks her to marry him, to which she responds by giving him the combination to her armor-plated chastity belt.

Years later, Leonidas is training his son when Captain informs him that a Persian messenger has arrived. Accompanied by the Spartan politician Traitoro, the messenger presents Persian King Xerxes' demands for Sparta's submission. After growing angry with both the messenger's disrespect and finding him making out with his wife, Leonidas kicks him into a pit. Despite Traitoro's advice that the messenger's guards are now needed to convey the actual message, Leonidas kicks them in as well, along with Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Sanjaya Malakar, Ryan Seacrest, and the American Idol judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. Resolving to face the Persians, Leonidas visits the prophets and gives them medicines such as Neutrogena as their price for their consultation. They advise him that he should consult the Oracle for any advice. The Oracle Ugly Betty reveals that Leonidas will die should he go to war.

After deciding while spending the night with his wife, Leonidas meets the soldiers assembled for his departure to Thermopylae, and finds that only thirteen were accepted in the army due to stringent requirements. Among them are Captain, his son Sonio, and a slightly unfit Spartan named Dilio. Once at the Hot Gates, they encounter a deformed Paris Hilton, who tells Leonidas and the Captain about a secret goat path above the Hot Gates that Xerxes could use to outflank the Spartans. When she asks to be made a Spartan soldier, Leonidas rejects her as unqualified because she cannot use a spear correctly. Leonidas and his platoon soon face off with Xerxes' messenger and his Immortals, beating them in a dance contest before driving them off a cliff. Xerxes, impressed, personally approaches Leonidas and attempts to bribe him with a trip to the Palms Hotel and Casino. Leonidas declines, and the Spartans face the Persian army in a "Yo Momma" fight, which the Spartans win, but Dilio has his eyes scratched out and wanders away.

Deciding to betray the Spartans, Hilton tells Xerxes where the goat path is in return for various gifts and for having her deformed hump removed. Xerxes meets the twelve remaining Spartans and the war begins. Meanwhile, back in Sparta, Queen Margo has several confrontations with Traitoro, as he is the vital vote in sending more troops to assist her husband. Following her address to the council, Traitoro publicly betrays the Queen, who then battles him in a parody of Spider-Man 3 and defeats him using a dust buster. With Traitoro's deceit exposed, the council is united with the queen.

At the Battle of Thermopylae, the Persians introduce their secret weapons, Ghost Rider and Rocky Balboa, who kills Sonio with a decapitating uppercut. Captain avenges him with Botox poisoning before being struck down by Xerxes. Leonidas pursues Xerxes and plays Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Managing to find the "Transformer Cube", Xerxes uses it in a car to become Xerxestron and shows off his powers to access the "Leave Britney Alone!" video on YouTube. However, Xerxestron accidentally trips on his extension cord and falls on Leonidas and the surviving Spartans, killing them. The blind Dilio eventually returns to Sparta to inform Queen Margo of Leonidas's death. A year later, Dilio leads a larger Spartan force to defeat the Persians, but the blind warrior ends up going the wrong way. They end up in Malibu, where they knock Lindsay Lohan down as she is leaving rehab again.

The film ends with the characters singing "I Will Survive" on the American Idol stage, as the credits appear.

Cast

Release

Box office

Meet the Spartans opened at number one at the US box office, grossing $18,505,530 over its opening weekend, narrowly edging out fellow newcomer Rambo, which was briefly parodied in the credits of this film. The film dropped 60.4% in its second weekend grossing $7,336,595 expanding to 2,643 theaters while ranking fourth at the box office. The film grossed $38,233,676 in United States and Canada and grossed $45,787,889 internationally, adding up to a total worldwide gross of $84,021,565.

Critical response

Meet the Spartans was universally panned by critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 2% based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 2.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "A tired, unfunny, offensive waste of time, Meet the Spartans scrapes the bottom of the cinematic barrel." On Metacritic, the film received a score of 9 based on 11 reviews, indicating "overwhelming dislike", being the worst received film by the directors on the site. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade C− on a scale from A+ to F.

Variety called it "Lazy, lame and painfully unfunny, Meet the Spartans is yet another scrambled-genre parody." Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Writer-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer basically reprise the tired formula from their earlier efforts, which is to throw in as many pop culture references as possible to cover up the lack of any real wit." Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times gave it a 1 out of 5 and wrote: "Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the team behind Meet the Spartans, prove that ridiculing other movies is much easier than making your own." Catsoulis said the various audience reactions at the screening she attended summed it up best: Eewwww! Aaarghh! Huh? Critic Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons called it "One of the most painfully bad comedies I've ever had to endure, and I've seen the collected works of Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen, Ice Cube AND Cedric the Entertainer." The Radio Times said "After enduring the torturously unfunny Date Movie and Epic Movie, one could be forgiven for concluding that the art of cinematic parody was in terminal decline. This latest installment in Friedberg and Seltzer's franchise hammers a final nail into the coffin with an utterly atrocious collection of imbecilic skits... it's junk-food cinema at its worst. One cringes to think what future cultural historians will make of it… and us."

Clark Collis of Entertainment Weekly gave it a mixed review, crediting the actors for their efforts but criticizing the script and the already dated jokes, giving it a grade C−.

Most of the film's criticism consisted of not having many actual jokes and instead having an over-reliance on pop culture references. Several recurring gags were criticized for being overused, such as the ambiguous sexuality of the Spartans and throwing various celebrities down the Pit of Death.

The film's score by Christopher Lennertz was commended by Christian Clemmensen from Filmtracks.com, who considered it one of the biggest "guilty pleasures" of 2008.

Accolades

On January 21, 2009, the film received five nominations for the 29th Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst Picture (jointly with Disaster Movie), Worst Supporting Actress (Electra), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel.

References

  1. "MEET THE SPARTANS (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. January 11, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  2. "Meet the Spartans (2008) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Meet the Spartans at Box Office Mojo
  4. Meet the Spartans at IMDb
  5. "US Movie Box Office Chart Weekend of January 25, 2008". The Numbers. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. "Meet the Spartans (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  7. "Meet the Spartans (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 27, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  8. Joshua Rich (January 29, 2008). "Spartans stops Rambo". Entertainment Weekly. the movie's CinemaScore was a terrible C- (coming from a crowd that was, not surprisingly 58 percent male and three-quarters under the age of 25)
  9. ^ Leydon, Joe (January 25, 2008). "Meet the Spartans". Variety.
  10. ^ Scheck, Frank. "Meet the Spartans - Bottom Line: "300" was funnier". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 28, 2008.
    Scheck, Frank (January 26, 2008). "Obvious gags, laugh-free jokes vanquish "Spartans"". Reuters.
  11. Catsoulis, Jeannette (January 26, 2008). "Doing Battle on the Field of Parody (Published 2008)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 7, 2017.
  12. Gene Seymour (2008). "'Meet the Spartans'". Newsday. Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. What's the point of making a parody that's dumber than the stuff it parodies?
  13. Franklin, Garth (January 25, 2008). "Review: "Meet the Spartans"". Dark Horizons.
  14. Jamie Russell (2008). "Meet the Spartans – review". Radio Times. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  15. Clark Collis (February 6, 2008). "Meet the Spartans". Entertainment Weekly.
  16. Meet the Spartans (Christopher Lennertz) at Filmtracks.com
  17. John Wilson (January 21, 2009). "RAZZIES.COM 2008 Nominations". Razzie Awards. Retrieved January 21, 2009.

External links

Films by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Written and directed
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