A cause to die for!

Rating: 10/10 (13 April 2004)

Excellent movie about Texas independence from Mexico and the heroes who made it happen! Billy Bob Thornton was surprisingly good as Davey Crockett (I was interested in seeing this movie for that reason alone--I thought this was a funny choice but he was excellent in this role. Jason Patrick also was good as Jim Bowie and Dennis Quaid proved once more to be a versatile actor by his fine portrail of Sam Houston. I thought this movie was better than the John Wayne Alamo of the 1960's -more accurate in showing Travis death (a bullet to the head early in the final siege on day 13) and also showing Crockett's capture and execution (most historians believe he and a few of his men were captured and executed shortly after the Alamo fell.) I also liked how the movie continued after the Alamo fell and told how Santa Anna was finally defeated. It is a good family movie to see --very educational and historically accurate. The critics have bashed this movie for reasons unknown. Several people who left the theatre the same time as me said almost in unison -"I can't understand it, the critics ripped this movie and it was really good" --The Alamo didn't concentrate on any one central character and didn't throw in a ridiculous love story to appeal the masses like "Titanic", "Pearl Harbor" and "Enemy at the Gates". I guess this is an essential element with today's critics because if a movie doesn't have it, the movie gets ripped!! --This movie deserves a much better rating than the expert critics gave it.