USA/UK/Ger 2004
Director: Oliver Stone
Score: ***

When watching ALEXANDER, the last big action blockbuster to hit screens this year, it should be remembered that the film is made by uncompromising director Oliver Stone. His films, like PLATOON, JFK and NATURAL BORN KILLERS are known to be disturbing, violent, artsy, political and personally biased. The beginning of ALEXANDER, for example with Greek letters overturned into the title credits on figures (like the eagle) superimposed on sculptors is an indication that a complex film is in motion. ALEXANDER, an Oliver Stone film is definitely bolder and in a way more challenging that any other action flick so far this year. Fortune favors the bold—is the quotation that flashes on the screen at the film’s start. No doubt Stone wishes the same blessing on his new bold film.

At a length of close to three hours, the script by Stone, Christopher Kyle and Laeta Kalogridis tackles Alexander’s life from child (wrestling with other boys) to husband, lover and warrior, as narrated by an aged Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). His stormy relationship with his father, the one-eyed King Philip (Val Kilmer) and scheming mother, Queen Olympias (Angelina Jolie) are given as much emphasis as the battles from Macedonia to the east ending in India. 

Colin Farrell carries the weight of his role comfortably on his broad shoulders. Odd though is the Irish accent that is kept by most of the actors playing his soldiers in the army. There are quite a few other Irish actors in the cast including Jonathan Rhys Myers. (Jolie sports a Russian one for an even stranger and unexplained reason.)

Stone’s film gets preachy at times. Hopkins’ narration, especially at the start often never makes any sense.

For example, there are long monologues—of things not of land or gold but of mind—with other flowery expressions. Stone’s attempt at telling his tale in non-chronological order tends to be a bit irritating and disjointed, but it evens out the screen times among the many actors. His decision too, to tell of incidents before they happen—for example, the viewer is warned of King Philip’s murder before the deed is done and of Alexander’s successes and failures before he fights his first battle—take away any anticipation, an important ingredient much lacking in the film’s execution. Stone’s politics, of why the Greeks are say, superior to the Persians comes across as simplistic. He gets away with it though as the logic is explained to Alexander when he is a child. One has to hand it to Stone for the non-compromising homoeroticism present in the film. Though there are no explicit gay scenes (there are straight ones), the smooches and implications are present, Alexander is portrayed as a bisexual with his adored male lover, Hephaistion (Jared Leto). Compare this to TROY, where actual lovers Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Patrolus were ridiculously reduced to the state of cousins for American audiences. Another point to note is the difficulty of carrying on the momentum of the plot without a strong villain or narrative.

The action scenes are exciting enough, aided by effective CGI effects. The middle Macedonian battle, complete with flanking maneuvers, shown bird’s eye-view, with thousands of arrows and spears is impressive as is the final battle done in red filters (as in the scenes in NATURAL BORN KILLERS) to simulate the bloodiness of the battle.

The film effectively ends with Hopkins’ narration bringing the film to a full circle. Hopkins declares Alexander’s defeat in the east as worthier than most conqueror’s victories.  Is Oliver Stone saying then that ALEXANDER, if a flop at the box-office is still a worthy effort?  ALEXANDER no doubt is worth much more than that!

Review by Gilbert Seah.