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This artbook is a marked improvement over the one for the first film, 300: The Art of the Film.

This book is actually a collection of production photography, film stills and concept art. Everything appears in high resolution, printed to the edge, huge. Hardcover, 160 pages.

There are a lot of photos. I don't like artbooks that feature more photos than art. But in this case, all the visuals in the book are quite stunning, photos and art included, especially the photos actually.

The photos and stills are great. You'll see many for the characters, behind the scenes where they use green screen, details on the costumes, weapons, and of course the sets where they build parts of the ships that appear in the movie. Lots of glamour shots to be seen, including the soulful, vengeful, deceitful and more.

Concept art are mainly of the key scenes and environments, and mostly far shots of the capital Persepolis, Sparta, and other places on the war path of Xerxes.

Layout of the book is quite well done to play up images. Photos and art well mixed throughout. There's a very textural feel throughout with the splatter, rain, sea and mud.

The book has spoilers and they come in the form of pictures. But I don't suppose they will dull down your enjoyment of the film anyway. Story plots are mentioned in small bits only.

Highly recommended. It's a visually beautiful book, wonderfully art directed.

300: Rise of an Empire: The Art of the Film is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

300: Rise of an Empire: The Art of the Film