What did you think of Alexander?

I'am curious to know what people thought of Oliver Stone's film Alexander. I recently purchased the directors cut and greatly enjoyed the film. I went in knowing next to nothing about Alexander or Macedon. The film sparked my interest on the subject of Alexander's life and legacy, so I read Robin Lane Fox's book "Alexander the Great" and was pleasantly suprised at the amount of historical accuracy in Stone's film. I found out later that Fox was the historical advisor on the project. I really don't get why this film bombed. Sure another battle scene might have been nice but on the whole this was a strong film with a nice cast and great performances.

I'm curious about this too. Most reviews seemed negative about it, but I like Oliver Stone and I like history... but I haven't bothered seeing it yet. Is it worth my time?

I think the fact that Alexander is gay was realy impleasant to many peoples. It wasn't a bad film, historical accuracy is quite good but I'll have liked to see more battles and historical facts than Alexander's private life... who realy cares of his sexuality ?.

Aparentally many people who believe that world conquerors need to be so straight that the arrow breaks.

It was so-so. The battle scenes were really well done in my opinion, but I would have prefered an actual story instead of philosophical discusion->sex->battle (repeat until movie ends, THEN add a death scene).

In my opinion, it would have been better if HBO made a TV series about it (they always do good work), similar to the series Rome (which pwns). They have years of material just waiting in the wings, and it was squandered on a movie.

it was nice. go see it Barb-Bob. let me just tell you what i think: good music on some places, bad on some, cutscenes with a phalanx in melee need to be longer,if a Battle Of Chronea, or Rubicon, or Siege of Tyre would make this movie outstanding, the movie moves on to (adult) Alexander very early;imo if they stayed longer and show Chronea, for even a short time, then to (adult) Alexander at Gaugemela would be ALOT better, after the River Hydaspes battle, they should show a short scene if Alexander going into Malta practically by himself and suffering a severe wound instead of at Hydaspes, ok this doesnt really matter but Alexander should say "to the best" right before he dies.Oliver Stone imo should have done some of my proposals; i wouldnt care if its 3 hours.
and there you have it. still a good movie, but get the Director's Cut not the theatrical one. i heard the theatrical one was bad.

just look up alexander movie in youtube and you can watch like 30 minutes of action and interesting parts (and thats better than acutally seeing them movie cause its boring as *bleep*)

I would recomend watching the director's cut. It's probably the best cut. It's too bad Stone didn't include Granicus, Tyre or Issus. It's kind of odd but my two favourite historical figures, T.E Lawrence and Alexander the Great were both gay. There is somthing facinating about them. They're enigmas I suppose.

I thought it was good. Though a bit long, it does show the stuggles Alexander had in his life, between him and his family, his generals, his soldiers, his conflicts with his enemies and his conflicts with himself. Very interesting movie.
Besides, it has Rosario Dawson nude in it, and she's hot.

I watched the directors cut and as for the gay thing I was surprised that so many people were shocked. What kind of a moron didnt know. Of course, technically Alexander wasnt gay because it didnt exist as a definition of sexuality... you just liked what you liked in the Ancient Greek world.

Anyhow, I though the film was terrible. I put up with about half of it before deciding to fast forward to the battle scenes.. which I didnt find all that impressive.

I hated the false morality of having Alexander having some altruistic urge to free everyone... according to Arrian (the main Historian of Alexander who rote a few hundred years later in Alexandria with access to the original texts written at the time of Alexander and is incredably impartial) the driving force behind Alexander was "pothos"... meaning urge/desire or longing for an undefined/unattainable goal.

A TERRIBLE film.

He wasn't really gay so much as omnisexual. From what I've read, he really didn't care. What really turned him on was combat.

I thought the imagery and general look of the film was awesome. However, the flow of the film is somewhat erratic and it tends to jump from scene to scene with little to guide it (I guess thats what happens when you squash 10 years + into 3 hours). The battle scenes. although very nice to look at are very poorly directed in my opinion- they were too jumpy. You never got chance to really see what was going on. And the "red glow" thing at Hydaspes was the most poorly implemented piece of camera work in film history.

what was bad about the film?

the flow of the film is somewhat erratic and it tends to jump from scene to scene with little to guide it

I agree

I hated the false morality of having Alexander having some altruistic urge to free everyone...

I very much agree

actually the movie was 2 hour. (or is the theatrical 3 hours?)

one primary thing is that they jump into adult Alexander to early.

like Balian in Kingdom of Heaven.

one primary thing is that they jump into adult Alexander to early.

Agree, maybe they sould have showed more about the father who made the man and the plot arround his assassination too.

I mean the film in itself is just kinda sloppy and boring, especially trasition from scene to another.

I think it is a good film.
The acting was good, Colin was meh but Val Kilmer was great.
The battle scenes were also great.
I agree that the movie is jumpy and it would have been better that Stone would have made a series of it instead but he atleast tried.

I read in one review that the battles was hard because you couldn't see "who was who". ********. That was the easiest part!

I have read some where that Oliver Stone is going to release a new version that is 3 hours 45 minutes long.. anyway I liked the movie.. it wasnt that bad as many are saying.. and the music was great.. im not a Vangelis fan (never really liked his music) but this soundtrack was very good.. some unreleased track's was the best but will not likely to be released

EDIT: I found a link to prove that the longer version is going to be released: http://www.laweekly.com/general/feat...he-fall/14187/

I read in one review that the battles was hard because you couldn't see "who was who".

heh, I actually liked the dusty chaos in the battle scene. In a real battle everything isn't organized 100% and vision isn't clear... if anything oliver stone made a good attempt at recreating a real battle.