The historical record on Alexander The Great is jaw-dropping. Military victory seemed almost effortless, only a matter of birthright to the fierce Macedonian with titanic goals of world conquest. However, the word "great" does not apply to Oliver Stone's epic portrayal of the young King Alexander.
Because Stone is such an accomplished director (the past two decades have found him making such gems as Any Given Sunday, Nixon, Natural Born Killers, The Doors, Wall Street and Platoon) it is interesting to consider that maybe Oliver Stone meant for the film Alexander to be a sort of sophisticated satirical essay on the greatness of man. In this light, the film seems quite masterful.
Further evidence of some sort of indirect, ironic thesis is revealed by the narrator Ptolemy I, played by Anthony Hopkins. Ptolemy recants Alexander's imperfections with ease, often fast-forwarding through the details of his triumphs, such as his being hailed as a god after conquering Egypt. After all, Mr. Stone could have easily included Alexander standing before a pyramid, being crowned in front of all, but he didn't. Many more times, the audience must fill in the greatness of Alexander, and watch in dismay as he makes his way through a perilous, tragic life. The audience is also privy to the many dissenters along the way, who question Alexander's every decision. In fact, not once does the audience see Alexander rule with ease.
The acting is superb, especially Val Kilmer's portrayal of King Phillip II. Kilmer should receive an Oscar for the supporting role. Angelina Jolie also commanded her role brilliantly as Queen Olympias. Colin Farrell was good, though it is possible his being cast in the role was a conscious decision to draw attention away from Alexander's character (especially with the likes of Brad Pitt, Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson being the measuring sticks for epic heroes these days).
Hephaestion, played by Jared Leto, is underdeveloped for a story so much about the bond between Hephaestion and Alexander. With no real foundation to their relationship, the audience is expected to accept the two as devoted to one another. More background information is given about Alexander's first wife, Roxane (played by Rosario Dawson), though the role is surely not as influential in Alexander's life. Anthony Hopkins was more than adequate as Ptolemy I, though it is easy to wonder why he took the part.
The cinematography is also brilliant, with amazingly realistic computer assisted sets. Unfortunately, the United States is hardly the place for an epic that questions its heroes. In fact, an epic that doesn't have the audience whipped into a frenzy about leaping attacks and one-in-a-million odds doesn't seem to cut it. Add overbearing homoeroticism and a mother out of a Hitchcock thriller, and that's three strikes. Oliver Stone's epic Alexander is a wonderful movie, just not about general "greatness," which audiences may be expecting. The tone is more of a tragic epic.
For the average cinephile, the problem lies with expectation. Alexander just doesn't make the audience feel like they are on an adventure. Even references to romantic historical characters such as Aristotle are lost, because the film never introduces Aristotle as a character. Aristotle is merely a name. In fact, when Aristotle is declared "wrong" numerous times by Alexander, it serves to undermine what faith the viewer has in the greatness of the ancient philosopher.
After much thought and excessive debate with friends and family, I give Alexander a rating of 86 out of a possible 100, but I include a warning. For those in search of an epic of the same scale and quality as Braveheart, Gladiator or Troy, this one does not satisfy.
