Hard to digest for hoi polloi, but true to history and Greek epic and tragedy

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2004)

Oliver Stone consulted Robin Lane Foxe, Oxford historian and the premier Alexander expert, before making this film. It shows. The film certainly ranks as one of the closest-to-the-real-story Hollywood historical mega-films. To viewers with any background in Aristotelian drama and the Greek epic, it will immediately become clear that Stone has tried hard to emulate the epic form while integrating the culture of the Greek tragedy into his film. There is plenty of fear and pity here and there are plenty of tragic elements. The aging Ptolemy as narrator even takes on some of the functions of the chorus/choir. Tragic destiny in a larger-than-life man plagued by doubts over his own decisions, his consuming passions, is the universal here; the gripping story of Alexander the historical incidental, as it were. Not surprisingly, characterization and character interaction must loom large. Which explains the numerous and lengthy monologues and dialogues. Bravo, Mr Stone. Those who can appreciate will. But I fear that hoi polloi will not appreciate. They will simply fail to understand. Postscript: If there were any episodes in Alexander's life I missed and would have liked included (at the risk of making this film even longer) it would have been the Gordian Knot and the Oasis of Siwa.