Very Moving

Rating: 8/10 (24 April 2004)

This is a very character driven movie especially as it looks at the involvement of Jim Bowie, David Crockett, William Travis, and Antonio de Santa Ana. The first three were men basically running from their pasts, whether from legend or infamy, while the last believed he was the Napoleon of the west. In the end, those who were not seeking fame nor saw themselves as heroes but deeply flawed human beings, became true heroes and eternal; while the last, although remembered, became less than what he thought he was. In reality, the Alamo was Mexico's response to an insidious invasion by the United States across it borders through americans who either became mexican citizens ( in order to be elligible for lands)or were descendents of such and became known as Tejanos. In other words, Mexicans fought Mexicans at the Alamo. The other basic cause of this fight, was slavery. Many of the heroes of the Alamo and those in the lands of Texas held slaves and the Mexican Government had outlawed slavery. Many of the slave holders rebelled against this imposition by the Mexican government and this ultimately culminated in a civil war and the ultimate acquisition of Texas, initially to be a country unto itself apart from the United States, but was soon assimilated into the other states but is still a Lone Star.
Although this is hinted at in the movie, a viewing of the history channel's presentation on the Alamo and Davie Crockett, will give one a deeper understanding of what the context was for this tragic yet heroic conflict. Why heroic? Because the people at the Alamo faced a hopeless situation with dignity and determination. Regardless of their views, they shed their blood for what they believed and for freedom. Right or wrong, their blood won Texas. In these days in which we are involved in a lengthy war whose outcome is trully unknown, will Americans show the fortitude to see it through or will we cut and run? Remember the Alamo where ordinary people did an extraordinary thing!