Alexander

2005 • 168 minutes

About this movie

From Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone ("Any Given Sunday," "Platoon") comes this epic story of Alexander the Great, the King of Macedonia and one of the greatest military leaders in the history of warfare, who over an eight year managed to conquer 90% of the known world of his time by age 25. This story chronicles Alexander's path to becoming a living legend, from a youth fueled by dreams of myth, glory, and adventure, to his intense bonds with his closest companions, to his lonely death as a ruler of a vast empire - an incredible story of a life that united the Known World and proved that, if nothing else, fortune favors the bold. Starring Colin Farrell ("S.W.A.T.," "Minority Report"), Academy Award-winners Angelina Jolie ("Tomb Raider" 1&2, "Girl, Interrupted") and Anthony Hopkins ("Hearts in Atlantis," "Hannibal"), Val Kilmer ("Spartan," "Heat"), Jared Leto ("Panic Room," "Fight Club") and Rosario Dawson ("Sin City," Men In Black II").

Ratings and reviews

Unfairly criticized - deserved a better box office - flawed, but worthwhile. The battles and tactics are reasonably accurate. The oft-criticized accent mix - Irish for the "barbaric" Macedonian, the strange eastern-European for Olympias' Epirote, Upper class british for the "purer" Eastern Dialect (Attic/Athenian and Ionian - Aristotle/Christopher Plummer) makes perfect sense if you are a classics nerd. The performances of the actors, however, is probably over-the-top, squashing so much history into the film made the pacing awkward. The longer extended edition has more pacing problems, but is less puzzling in places, leaves things better explained. It is a pity Google does not offer the extended edition, does not offer a high definition version. For all the flaws, it is a rare attempt to make a historical film with as much historical accuracy in as many of the details as it does, and showing the flaws of the main characters as it does. As for it's answer to the question of Alexander's death? (No spoilers from me!). Stone's suggestion is certainly plausible. There are many good theories. And the controversies over Alexander's sexuality? Any man who spends days in bed crying with the body of his "best friend" who died (and there is no doubt this happened) had a more-than-best-friend relationship. The film was right on that score. I'd like to give this 5/5 for its intent, for it's attention to historical detail in some things. It is let down by some over-the-top acting, and pacing issues, but that that 3/5 pacing was to try and serve history. So 3.5 to 4.

This isn't about the movie. The movie is great. But Google Play was playing up. I bought the movie but couldn't watch it for an hour or so after

I don't want to buy it here, because you only sell the SD version. Please sell higher definition versions.