Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Bin Bunluerit

If you're determined to spend three hours with Oliver Stone's take on the personal and military struggles of ancient Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, you should know that Alexander (Colin Far...( read more  read more... )rell, in blonde disarray) is not half so much fun as mom Olympias (Angelina Jolie) or his future wild bride Roxane (Rosario Dawson). Indeed, it's the women in Alex's life who provide the movie's most satisfying action: Jolie, sporting some kind of Russian accent, wraps herself in snakes while hissing promises of Farrell's destiny; Dawson disrobes and threatens to cut Farrell's throat before shtupping his brains out. The rest is leaden history, supposedly novel because it showcases epic battle sequences and addresses Alexander's great love for his buddy Hephaistion (Jared Leto). But the man-on-man romance is limited to teary hugs, and the battles are indecipherable messes-you have to wait for Anthony Hopkins' narration to tell you what happened (in fact, you have to wait for Hopkins' narration to tell you everything that happens). There's some spectacle on display but, alas, not much that is truly spectacular. --Steve Wiecking

Flixster Users

43% liked it

95,762 ratings

Critics

16% liked it

189 critics

R, 2 hrs. 56 min.

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Release Date: November 24, 2004

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DVD Release Date: August 2, 2005

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Flixster Reviews (8,980)


  • February 3, 2009
    ''Fortune favours the bold.''

    A film of the most successful, tactical leader in history Alexander. Which spans over his life and campaign conquering Persia & Asia.

    Oliver Stone's epic film now comes in three versions. Ive had to alter my review and rating reflec

    ...( read more)ting this, the three versions are as follows:

    Alexander(Theatrical version) 3.5 Stars


    Theatric AlexanderWas good but flawed and alot of important facts missing, leaving the audience with questions. Battles top marks still.


    Alexander(Directors Cut) 3.5 Stars

    DC Alexander

    Shorter and more enjoyable for impatient audiences, well edited but still missing that extra flair.

    Alexander Revisited(The Final Cut) 3.5 Stars

    Final cut

    After seeing The Final Cut it's redeemed the whole film. Detailed battles and characters and a better level of understanding and appreciation.

    Colin Farrell as Alexander is not my personal choice for the role. After re-watching I do feel he does a reasonable job yet the Irish twang's in his accent take a while to adjust too.
    Angelina Jolie as his mother Olympias is seductively dazzling and multi-sided. Her accent sexy and alluring if what sometimes hard to place.
    Jared Leto as the loved companion Hephaistion has such a beautiful bond and piercing eyes.
    Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Plummer & Brian Blessed, the film is revived somewhat with their inclusion. Masterful acting.
    Rosario Dawson as Roxane in the final cut is given more dialogue and this in itself helps the film.

    The battle sequences, music from Vangelis and the extra detail have revamped my interest in this film, on seeing it at the cinema i was disappointed yet seeing all the things missed out its epic and informative.

    To conclude it's one of those films that needs re-watching and re-evaluating, and maybe casting Colin as Alexander not advisable. On research this film received some good reviews as well as less understandable ones.

    To conclude its one of those long epic films thats so long you will lose interest perhaps at cinema. On DVD it gives you a chance to recover or rest. Same as Troy in it's beautiful executed manner yet it needed more adrenaline like the bicep bulging 300.

  • December 3, 2008
    Alexander Revisited (DVD Final Cut)

    Macedonian Left, Macedionian Right, Macedonian Center! I enjoyed watching the battlescenes in this film!
    Although it is said to be historically inaccurate, and the jumping from present to past was used too much, I still found it to b...( read more)e a good movie. Alexanders other relationships in the film just made me feel all weird and awkward, it took me a while to get used to the idea. The cast was good, the story I found somewhat weird but entertaining anyway. I havent seen the original film version so Im not sure if thats why some people rated this low.
  • October 4, 2008
    A times flawed and very over-acted, which could of become both Colin Farrells oscar demanding performance and Oliver Stone's finest hour or three has just become a brutal, man on man and paranoid historical epic
  • August 18, 2008
    Some battle scenes are quite impressive but beyond that you have to admit that the casting was poor (I love most of the actors but they just didn't fit in their roles) and the writers had nothing to say about Alexander. Stone should never leave the US-related subjects, plenty of...( read more) directors could have shoot a film about Alexander, not that many could have done JFK, Nixon, Platoon, etc.
  • July 6, 2008
    This was also a joke....right?
  • October 30, 2009
    One of the film that adapt one of the greatest heroes of history Alexander. THE ACTORS really portrayed their part into the story, which would also convinced that the movie is good. The battles in the movie is superb, then it really made the past come into life. A good movie.
  • October 26, 2009
    Add a review (optional)...
  • October 22, 2009
    Still thinking about this one.
  • October 19, 2009
    this is a guilty pleasure of min.
  • October 17, 2009
    kitschy, but in the end it was colin farrell who saved the day...

Critic Reviews


March 18, 2005
Kurt Loder, MTV

The picture is so thoroughly ridiculous, it's hard to know where to begin in listing its infelicities. But I'll try. full review

March 6, 2005
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Though the battles have the blood-and-sinew bravado you expect from Oliver Stone, this three-hour buttnumbathon is hamstrung by a hectoring grandiosity, not new to Stone, and a nod toward caution, whi... full review

November 30, 2004
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

Sluggish, unsmiling, and almost as limp as the feather fans with which our heroes are gently aerated on their trip to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. full review

November 24, 2004
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Here's something I never expected to say about a big-budget Oliver Stone film starring Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer: It's dull. full review

November 24, 2004
David Edelstein, Slate

Seems too puny and fragmented for its mighty subject; it feels as if Stone, for the first time in his career, simply ran out of hot air. full review

November 24, 2004
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Epic in scale but not epic in spirit, a wallow in carnage that fails to demonstrate what was so great about this conqueror, after all. full review

November 24, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

An ambitious and sincere film that fails to find a focus for its elusive subject. full review

View more Alexander reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • carla223
    November 12, 2008
    Total agony.
  • maupusa
    July 24, 2008
    watch it for teh hot gay XD
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    February 10, 2008
    When I saw ALEXANDER in theatres, a half-hour into the film I was envying the many, many Persians who had been decapitated onscreen by the sharp Macedonian blade of the dull Colin Farrell.

    I gave the director's cut a chance on DVD and my view had changed...I really liked the film! Still feel the same about Colin Farrell.
  • lilmouser22
    January 19, 2008
    wah wah wah wah wah wah to all ur terrible comments..the movie was great :D it was great indeed ! ALEXKANDER FOREVER!! you have given me the happiest times in my life ALEXKANDER ahahaa funniest part in the whole movie..that guy was howls..very sexxxxiiii ..in a really disgusting hot kinda homosexual way...;D
  • manibus
    November 11, 2007
    Pretty nice family business...

    How about that gay topic, americans? I claim, he was definately straight.
  • Beethoven1
    October 16, 2007
    Come on people !!! no 1 will ever be able 2 do half what Alex. do ..... beside he died young , but his glory and fame never died ...... All people die , But glories never die , and Alex didnt want 2 conquire the world 4 himself he wanted 2 untite all the world and make the earth a better place 2 live , but fate , as no 1 could kill him in war , he died sick , wich make me sad , cuz if he died in war he would die happier as he think it will be more glory ...................
  • morphine
    September 22, 2007
    READ MY REVIEW..
  • miklitov
    July 23, 2007
    so bad
  • izabelamona
    June 21, 2007
    VERY VERY GOOD FILMS
  • QueenOfSparta
    May 23, 2007
    i agree to juaquinl17 100%...alexander had the same faith of his hero/idol who is Mighty Achilles....have a great week guys;)

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Alexander Trivia


  • What actor had supporting roles in Alexander, Fight Club and The Thin Red Line?  Answer »
  • which of these actors was in these three movies: SWAT, Phone Booth and Alexander?   Answer »
  • Jason Alexander got his start off Broadway appearing in Forbidden Broadway ?  Answer »
  • Who played the following roles Harry - Love Actually John Gissing - The Search for John Gissing Alexander Dane - Galaxy Quest Hans Gruber - Die Hard  Answer »

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