Alexander review *major spoilers*

[FullMetalJacket]

By golly, did this movie suck.

For one thing, I was expecting to see more of Alexander actually conquering the world. Instead, most of that is handled in narration and voiceovers. There's only two actual battles in the movie -- and while they are quite possibly some of the greatest battle scenes ever filmed, they can't redeem this absolute travesty of a movie.

The movie's rife with historical errors. There was never really any big dissent or conspiracy among his men. Alexander wasn't poisoned either, he fell in battle -- at least, that's how it has always been recorded. The only thing the movie really got right was the path Alexander took through Asia.

The movie is ludicrously long. It's not like LOTR, where the story and acting are just so wonderful that you don't even notice how long it is -- with this movie, practically everyone in the theater was looking at their watches, like, every ten minutes. And the plot takes so long to get moving that it never really moves. It'll inch along, and then just stop for like 30 minutes straight. The movie wasn't compelling and you felt nothing when any of the characters died.

Then there is the homosexuality issue. There is just blatant homosexuality in this film. I don't know if Oliver Stone was trying to make a message to the g@y community or what. Now, I know that men could be a lot closer to each other back then and it was considered kosher (Achilles and Patroclus were lovers, although Achilles supposedly had women as well) but this movie is full of men just randomly making out. It's totally out of place.

That's about all I've got to say. The two battles are awesome, but I wouldn't sit through the other three hours of this movie just to watch them again.

The movie gets a D-.

[Plastic Yank]

I've heard about it. Most of the reviews I've seen are under headers like "One big bore" or "I'll say this for Stone: he doesn't just make a trainwreck, he knocks the train off the tracks, sets it on fire and kills everyone onboard (and takes three hours to do it)".

[roger29]

Yes, homosexuality was rampid back then. I don't find a need to place it into the movie so much. I see far better things to add to the movie. Take out all that personal shit, christ sake, cause we don't know that much of his day to day! Make a god damn movie about him that details his battles and his leadership!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[natedogg42]

Sounds like a shitty ass movie. I hate historical innaccuracies. I will not see it. Ever.

[roger29]

Fuck that!

[LSUSAF04]

The movie's rife with historical errors. There was never really any big dissent or conspiracy among his men. Alexander wasn't poisoned either, he fell in battle -- at least, that's how it has always been recorded. The only thing the movie really got right was the path Alexander took through Asia.


Actually, having just taken western civ last semester and having learned all about Alexander's life (on top of being a history nerd and history minor) Alexander was probably poisoned, he was not killed in battle but killed on the night of his return home at a party. And yes, there was also dissent amongst his men after he killed one of his generals and best friends over a stupid argument, and his men were pissed because he wanted to keep pressing further and conquer more of India I believe and they were freakin tired and just wanted to go home...this happened a few times but he was usually able to keep control over them, but finally there demands won out and he headed back home (by a different route a much longer way so he could conquer more land)...but nope I didn't see the movie and don't plan on it

and oh by the way he was actually tri-sexual: he liked women, men, and animals (namely horses)

[natedogg42]

I was told in 9th grade World Civ. that Alex. the Great died of some disease (like typhus or typhoid) something like that.

Oh well, government education. You get what you pay for.