A remarkable film captures the madness and genius of its visionary hero.

Rating: 7/10 (3 January 2006)

Alexander is a remarkable film. It's sprawling, ungainly, and way too long. Yet not long enough, either. It should have been a mini series. Oliver Stone had to leave a lot of material out, and his strategy of cutting back and forth in time was sometimes confusing. But he conveyed the most enduring and important legacy of Alexander the Great: his vision of a united, multi-ethnic world empire, dominated by Greek principles but inclusive of indigenous cultural values. Alexander really was the first conqueror/leader to pursue such a vision, rather than merely trying to impose his culture on other peoples. It was an impossible vision to achieve, in part because of nationalistic prejudices and in part because Alexander himself was torn between genius and madness. This is what the movie captures astonishingly well, along with the rich visual tapestry of ancient life and the terrifying battle scenes. The film is quite accurate concerning the psychological dynamics of Alexander's relationship with his parents (and the parents' with each other). Too many movies, especially "action movies," overlook the role of the parent-child relationship in the formation of character. I also applaud Stone's attempt to be true to Alexander's sexual relationships with his comrade Hephaistion and his eunuch Bagoas, though the film should have made that element more explicit. Viewers who liked this film might want to check out historical novelist Mary Renault's books about Alexander, FIRE FROM HEAVEN and THE PERSIAN BOY.