Evan Fox

Entertainment Editor

March is going to be action packed for movie fans, with the release of the first wave of blockbusters.

March 7 sees the release of “300: Rise of an Empire.” The film is a prequel/sequel that details the rise of Xerxes into a god-king. The movie also follows the Athenian fleet as it tries to defeat the Persian navy at the Battle of Artemisium.

It has received decent reviews noting the rise of Xerxes is interesting, while the action is what can be expected from the franchise. A must see for any fan of the original.

The next weekend, March 14, has the release of “Need for Speed.” The film is loosely based on the video game franchise of the same name. It stars Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) as a driver bent on revenge.

This movie is notable for its use of practical effects. Every race, jump, explosion and helicopter hook-up is real. CGI is only used to supplement the action.

March 21 is slated for “Divergent,” based on the best-selling book series. It follows a young woman who does not fit into any of the five factions of peoples, making her dangerous to the rules of society. She soon joins up with other divergents and discovers a plot against her kind.

March 28 is the biggest weekend of the month for action lovers.

The first is “Noah,” director Darren Aranofsky’s take on the Biblical story. It stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson and Anthony Hopkins.

Next is “Sabotage,” an Arnold Schwarzenegger thriller about an elite group of DEA agents who are being killed off after one of their biggest successes against the cartel.

Finally, “The Raid 2: Berandal” will be released. It is a sequel to 2011’s The Raid: Redemption” and continues the story of Rama as he tries to weed out the corruption in the Jakarta police force.

The film, like its predecessor, has gorgeous, brutal action sequences that are all practical. Early festival reviews have been very positive, praising the better story and bigger action scenes.