There is Nothing Great about this Alexander!!!

Rating: 2/10 (3 January 2005)

I have never actually written a review about a film in this site as I don't really believe in Film Criticism. It's all a very subjective matter. However, after watching Alexander I felt compelled to do so. Alexander the Great is one of the Greatest Historical figures, he is not a myth, not a Hollywood hero. The portrayal of his character and his amazing achievements demand not only respect, but a profound knowledge and understanding of his persona and the historical context of that period. I was devastated when I saw this Alexander because there is really nothing great about him. I cannot even say the words, "It doesn't make justice to Alexander the Great". Colin Farrell played the role of a warrior who was brave in battle, weak emotionally, not really beautiful, not very gifted as a leader, not to mention a king... with a mother who spend more time with her snakes than with her own people and a father who behaved like a drunk viking. His poor horse was short legged and looked inferior to the Arabian horses in the battles and all his generals spoke English with a different accent and who all in all were only interested in slicing flesh and getting drunk in orgies. So it is mentioned that he founded a few Alexandrias here and there and that he reached the ends of the world where people fought on four legged giants called elephants. Well, so what? If this were really the life and work of Alexander the Great I am convinced that he wouldn't have been called Great and he wouldn't have marked the world history the way that he did. Alexander the Great was so great because he was truly gifted. He got the best education, he was taught how to respect all knowledge, how to love the human and the divine. His intellect and spirituality together with insightful and progressive way of thinking made him so wise for his age and so successful. The aura that surrounded his persona was magical and intoxicating. So many thousands of warriors, Greeks and "savages" followed Alexander to the ends of the world because they admired and respected him, because they believed in his vision and because they loved him like a God not because he was their king, but because of who he was.
The cultural Heritage that Alexander the Great left behind for all civilizations to come is immense and cannot be counted by the battles he won, or portrayed in a three hour film. However, it is sad that with a subject so rich, so Great that what we see on the screen is so poor, so superficial and so commercialized! This Alexander is an insult to one of the Greatest kings history has ever had! I am sorry, but Mr. Stone, you could have done at least a little bit better!