|
Germany, USA, Netherlands, France, UK, Italy 2004
Director: Oliver Stone
Cast: Colin Farrell, Rosario Dawson, Jared Leto, Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie
Rating: R
Release Date: 23 December 2004 (Germany)
Running Time: 3 hours 34 minutes
The Movie Review
Every epic movie is in debt to the tale, legend or poem used as the premise of the story. Most of the legends are very fixed, that every movie has to find another aspect to develop. Perhaps by using famous cast, exploiting CGI use and trying to glorify every battle scene up to the level of utmost amazement.
Alexander, released in November 24th 2004 and with a total budget as much as $155 million attempts to revive the saga of Alexander the Great into the screen. I don't know specifically where they allocated the budget to, because with all that money, they should have developed more the story side and
|
|
|
 |
| ALEXANDER |
| Storyline: |  |
| Cast: |  |
| Ending: | |
Overall:
 |
|
|
enhanced the battle scenes. I have seen some documentaries about the past heroes and legends, and I do find Alexander is of better quality compare to them but doesn't excel them completely. As with documentary movie, its mission is to educate us. It doesn't need to emphasize on the stunning battles or the chemistry among its actors/actresses. But as for Alexander and its position as a mainstream movie, its superiority should have been excels standard documentary movie in every facet.
Alexander is a biopic film. The storyline is solely about Alexander's life, from the beginning of his birth, as a teenage, in his adult life until his death. The movie is narrated by one of Alexander's friends, Ptolemy I Soter (Anthony Hopkins), who tells the story initially and explains the continuing chapters. Alexander (Colin Farrell) is the son of King Philip II of Macedonia (Val Kilmer) and Olympias (Angelina Jolie). He is the pupil of Aristotle who teaches Alexander a lot about ancient history and mainly the story of Hercules and the Persian Empire.
Alexander begins to grow interest to explore the east and dreams the seem-to-be-impossible dreams, that are to conquer the Persian army and to explore the world. Two of his famous battles that are highlighted and shown are the battle against King Darius III of the Persian Empire in the battle of Gaugamela and the battle against Porus in India. This movie is also tells the personal life of Alexander with his controlling mother and his love relationship with his childhood friend Hephaistion (Jared Leto) and his first legitimate wife Roxanna (Rosario Dawson).
Alexander is absolutely not a bad epic movie and I do find the drama performed quite moving. However it's the battles that I've waited for. But when the battle ensues, the camera technique employed is confusing...sigh, so instead of seeing the battles from a perspective that makes me feel like I'm in the battle, I feel like just closing my eyes. The angle sometimes is just too closed-up. To the lead actor's credit, it's great to see Colin Farrell performs as the homosexual and neurotic king of Macedonian, King Alexander's character played by Farrell manages to deliver a distinguished touch.
To be sarcastic, this film would be referred to as a Gay Epic, and as far as I can remember, yes Alexander was a homosexual. Some parts of the history are also inaccurate. The movie itself is just like Alexander the great himself. The person Alexander dreams of something gigantic while forgetting the needs of his close ones, while the movie Alexander dreams of something enormous while forgetting the important details. Nevertheless Alexander is still an above average epic movie.
© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com
|
| |
|
Home > Epic Home > Alexander (2004)
|
