The truth of the very real men of valor that sacrificed themselves for the freedom of Texas!

Rating: 8/10 (15 November 2004)

I had heard so many people saying how lousy this movie was...I waited to see it when it hit pay-per-view. I don't know where those people got their ideas about the history of the Alamo. I thought there were fine portrayals by everyone involved in this movie. I truly enjoyed it. Since I am a born and bred Texan, and a proud one at that...but aren't all Texans? Watch this movie and realize the sacrifice that was made at this place that is the shrine of Texas history and you will know why we have such pride in our state and the blood that bought it.
Hey, there are only 2 kinds of people..Texans and the ones that wish they were:) That being said...
This movie showed the true tale of some 180 men that knew the score, knew how outnumbered they were, but knew what was at stake. In the style of the true heroes that they were they defended a mission turned fort called the Alamo, Spanish for dogwood. In fact the Alamo now lies in the middle of downtown San Antonio. I only wish the movie had put more emphasis on Santa Anna's slaughter at Goliad of Col. Fannin and his 300 fellow Texian fighters.
I thought the movie was well acted and quite realistic. These brave men held the Mexican army, of some 5000, for 13 days. Pretty staggering odds 185 to 5000! Yet they were still able to persevere those 13 days in the spring of 1836. Their deaths were not in vain. They were able to hold off the Mexican army long enough to give Sam Houston the time he needed to prepare for the onslaught. Another person that reviewed this movie, quite well I would say...except for the last paragraph...
"The filmmakers get a little nutty in the final act, which tacks on a 'Pearl Harbor' climax that has the film going beyond the Alamo just so it can climax on an American victory. This type of silly ending isn't warranted, and needlessly draws out the film way past its expiration date. The story of 'The Alamo' should've just stayed at the Alamo, and let the history books tell the rest of the story"
I believe it is only right to inform the people that aren't blessed enough to be in Texas....we lost the fight...but we won the war! The battle took place at an area now called San Jacinto, which lies just to the east of Houston. That battle indeed lasted only 18 minutes...and out of the several hundred troops belonging to Santa Anna that died that day, only 6 Texans died! I believe that 'the rest of the story' as Paul Harvey likes to say it, had to be acknowledged. Especially since Sam Houston was being shown leading his army and being unable to respond to the plea for help that came from Travis at the Alamo.
I feel pride in the fact that a bunch of rag tag men from all walks of life, backgrounds, education and race stood together in a fight for Texas' freedom. Travis who was well educated to Crockett who was a larger than life legend, a senator and a woodsman from Tennessee. From the slaves who stood and fought to the Hispanics that also risked their lives...like Juan Seguin who delivered Travis' letter for aid to Sam Houston. What a great honor to these heroes, ordinary people put into am extraordinary situation. But then, that truly is what any hero is. Truly.....Remember the Alamo!
Find a little known song by Marty Robbins called 'The Ballad of the Alamo' that played in John Wayne's version of the Alamo. Hey, I was raised on this stuff. Nothing against this version of the story either, its fantastic. Also on the soundtrack is a rendition of DeGuello, the music that the Mexican army plays...meaning 'no quarter'. It is a hauntingly beautiful melody considering its meaning.