aka Nixon in China

Rating: Null/10 (27 November 2004)

I'm a big fan of Stone and loved his Nixon. But after seeing Alexander I am wondering if he is still stuck on the same character study: Boy has issues with his demanding mother, feels inadequate, especially next to a more worthy son. After a short exile (or threat of exile), he returns to glory. His great vision of exporting democracy all over the world becomes more distorted and clouded as he exhausts the resources and goodwill of those around him. He becomes increasingly paranoid.
Stone's postmodern quote of Citizen Kane in Nixon, becomes his post-post modern quote of himself in Alexander. And, to some degree, the story is a parable and a warning about the disastrously blind and insulated leadership style of the current President Bush, marching into Persia to cheers and rose petals not realizing that he would become the benevolent but hated occupier that he is today. Stone seems to be warning us not to pursue this warped vision that has lead so many ambitious world leaders to their disastrous end. Little allusions to Saddam Hussein (Darius), the fact that it was supposed to be Jeb and not George W. that ascended to the White House help to punctuate this metaphor.
Personally, I enjoyed the art direction, the choreography of the battle scenes, and the actors who were all dealing with a script and a concept difficult to pull off. I'm not sure what Stone was doing with the brogue, and I'm sorry our society is so homophobic that he couldn't delve deeper into Alexander's relationship with Hephaistion.