The Three Bears and Goldilocks: This Movie's too soft!

Rating: 4/10 (18 August 2005)

Alexander the Great in this version of the Macedonian hero is much too soft for my tastes. Richard Burton previously played this role and in my opinion, played it too hard. I hope just right will eventually make it to the big screen! Colin Farrell has the appearance and physique well mastered in his presentation of Alexander. Statuary and busts of Alexander confirm that Colin is an excellent choice to play the role. However, Connor Paolo was excellent in his presentation as the young Alexander who tamed Buchephalus, and who asked questions of Aristotle. He should one day be considered to play a mature Alexander. I am very impressed with him, and perhaps Colin could play his father Philip then.
Angelina Jolie was quite fetching as a well-groomed and ever properly fashionable Olympias. I do not think that she caught her character at all, however, as Olympias is a fascinating woman, but in this particular characterization, she is simply smothering and manipulative, hateful, and vindictive. I did not like this portrait of her at all.
Val Kilmer is a capable performer who gives a convincing performance of a drunken and dominating Philip. He is not served well in later scenes, which only made me think of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar ghost appearances.
Jared Leto as Hephaestion is simply not in the correct look of a commander who becomes second only to Alexander himself. I would have preferred Andy Richter even to this effeminate version of the famed best friend to Alexander.
Ptolemy was simply dreadful all the way through. Nothing good to say so will say nothing more.
The character of Kleitos as played by an actor name of Stretch is very interesting to me. He did very well as did the young man who played the role of Philotas. However, neither character is given any real lines or character development so essentially they fizzle.
Rosario Dawson as Roxanne is the most disappointing performer in the movie. She was given a bad rap in my opinion. First of all, it is said that Roxanne and Alexander fell in love at first sight. Roxanne in this movie acts like a victim of foul play instead of a blushing bride, and I disliked Oliver Stone's idea of a trashy wedding night. Sorry for Rosario as all her nudity did not add one bit to the wedding scene, but she is a great dancer as seen in the dance that she performed.
Won't give in to the bad mixing of historical facts as all are all thrown together in a mixed bag, and come out dreadfully poor.
Those of us who really like Alexander don't much care for this version of the great heroic character! If Oliver is truly a fan, I can't tell it by this corrupted version of Alexander's life.
I also meant to comment on the various versions of the film being distributed, a single theatrical cut, a director's cut, and the special edition cut.
I own two versions: the director's cut, with the bonus feature of the Transformation of Colin Farrell into Alexander, and the Special Edition, 2 discs. The better disc to purchase is the Special Edition as it is more complete, has better commentaries by both Oliver Stone and Robin Lane Fox. The single disc has only Oliver Stone in his commentary. Be sure to buy the special edition.