I am no expectations of the film range considered, since I have to say that I do not so fan of the predecessor am now.
Maybe that was the reason why I was pleasantly surprised, he tells the story that runs parallel to its predecessor. This has what it takes. And finally we learn more about the whole story As Xerxes was to which he was so
Of course, like a living painting the whole looks back and the blood and injected back literweise but who would have expected anything else based on the predecessor also.