No slouch when it comes to war movies, Oliver Stone should have been the right man for the job - but something has gone badly wrong here. Framing the story as the memoir of Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins), Stone gives us the last thing anyone would have expected: an earnest, scrupulously even-handed $150 million history lesson, chock full of names, dates, facts, notes, cultural references and classical quotations. For a director whose movies are usually energetic, ambitious and exciting, Stone's biggest crime here is making a film so crushingly unengaging.
The script - co-written by Stone - is long-winded, bogged down by misguided attempts to fathom Alexander's psychological motivations. Farrell - woefully miscast - is upstaged by a ludicrous blond hairdo which only gets longer as the movie goes on. One of the most charismatic leaders in history comes across as a vainglorious despot with unresolved childhood 'issues' - unavoidable, perhaps, if your scheming mother (Angelina Jolie) has a sub-Transylvanian accent and a fondness for sleeping with snakes, and your father (Val Kilmer) is a one-eyed drunk.
Thankfully, the film's academic sensibility doesn't preclude such genre staples as crunchy battle scenes, dodgy symbolism, raunchy toga parties and hammy British thesps. Certainly, Stone can direct a battle sequence, and it's when he unleashes the elephants that the movie finally gets exciting. But Stone is weighed down by the gravity of all this history. When, against all advice, Alexander inexplicably marries an Afghan tribal princess (Rosario Dawson), Professor Ptolemy dutifully lists three theories as to what on earth was going on in the royal head. Since when did movie-makers do multiple choice? Discuss.
By Tom Charity
Essex
I am so glad I didn't take any notice of any of the reviews I read prior to going to see Alexander. After seeing Colin Farrell in quite a few films of late and not being disappointed by any one of them I was looking forward to seeing Alexander until I started reading the reviews. In the end I thought I'd give it a chance, if nothing else it would be three hours watching Colin Farrell on the big screen. I hate history and knew absolutely nothing about Alexander the Great apart from his name and the fact he was bisexual.
I thought the film was amazing and will most likely go to see it again before it finishes its run at our local cinema. So what about the blond hair, what does it matter what colour his hair was, and I've seen more ridiculous barnets and they are natural! I still can't get my head round Angelina Jolie as Alexander's Mum though - why she was cast as his mother when there are so many fine older actresses I can't fathom - maybe it was because so many people were intent on running the film down they didn't want to get involved - who knows? I'm not a fan of Val Kilmer but even he didn't worry me as he usually does.
We were waiting for the boring bits - they never came. I will buy this film on DVD when it's released, and enjoy every minute of it again. Don't take any notice of the reviews, go and see this film. It's great!
Missouri
There is a certain balance that must be attained between entertainment and crap. I often find myself gladly putting up with the latter. But Alexander does not have that symbiosis. I hope I spelled that right.
The battle scenes were brilliant, and even though I got ill watching the final scene involving inverted colors and such, I ate it up.
But for a larger portion of the movie, we are subjected to a sad attempt to get into the psyche of Alexander. I suppose that using psychology for a platform of the film could have been fine, as would a straight action/war film, but Stone's cocktail of the two falls miserably short.
Also, Stone's continual pounding of the fact of Alexander's bisexuality is crazy reduntant. It's as if Stone doesn't think that the audience will believe him. "Oh, did I mention that he's gay?" Not that the annoying thing was the sex, imagine any other subject and it could be just as irratating. Imagine Alexander making and eating a sandwich every 10 minutes. "Oh, did I mention that he likes sandwiches?
Don't underestimate your audience, Ollie.
essex
A bad choice of actors mixed with a terrible soundtrack turns one of the greatest military stories into a camp circus of bad hair and even worse dialogue.
Never before have i wanted to walk out of a cinema. Even Troy and its historical makeover was more gripping.
Ohio
I thought I'd give Oliver Stone one more chance....I was sadly mistaken. Ollie's drug-fuelled, mysogynistic vision continues to cloud his talent.
Waikato
The ridiculous wig, the outrageous pre-coital tiger gestures, the out of place Irish accents, the plodding script...There is very little to recommend this travesty of a film.
A note to Oliver Stone...You took 3 hours of my life and I want them back!!
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