Alexander depicts the tale of the Macedonian conqueror, Alexander the Great, from childhood until his death at the age of 32.  It should be known that contemporary studies on Alexander the Great often focus on his persona and what made him so great.  Unfortunately, no unbiased material exists in regards to Alexander’s character, which has forced historians to deduct information through the recorded events and the limited amount of existing writing concerning Alexander.  It has left him with portrayals such as an evil tyrant to a kind and valiant leader.  The interpretation of Alexander’s persona is open to examination, but true image of his character will never be known.  Nonetheless, scholars continue to hypothesize and make calculated guesses as to what made him so great.  Oliver Stone offers his interpretation in Alexander.

A fragmented storyline opens with Alexander raising his hand with a ring of some significance while laying on his deathbed.  An old Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins) reveals this is Alexandria 40 years after Alexander’s death while reciting his past to a scribe.  It is a rather idealistic prologue that talks about Alexander’s feats and achievements by setting sight on Babylon and the land beyond.  There are several visual insertions of mosaics and wall paintings to support Ptolemy’s reasoning, which smoothly transition to Alexander’s youth.

The disjointed storyline moves back and forth between Alexander’s early days and his conquest of the east.  The flashbacks help understand how Alexander became who he turned out to be.  This of course is a subjective interpretation, as so many other interpretations that exist.  The cinematic version by Stone might be different than most desire.  Nonetheless, it is of no-less value than other interpretations.

Alexander in Stone’s interpretation seems to have been heavily influenced by his mother Olympias (Angelina Jolie), who constantly told him that he was a son of the god Zeus.  It is also apparent that Alexander’s father, King Philip (Val Kilmer), influenced him, but much more infrequent than his mother.  There is also a heavy dose of how his education and friendships steered him in the direction of greatness.  These are facets that are essential in any human beings existence, and Alexander was not above it.  This helps paint a more real image than the mythical and mysterious persona that exists around Alexander the Great.

When Alexander (Collin Ferrell) stands outnumbered by one to six in front of the Persian army he begins his conquest of the east, as they know it.  This becomes the beginning of a life-long test where Alexander finds himself to have to utilize all his wisdom and knowledge.  The value of an education and sources of influence emerge in the film, as Alexander questions what has been taught when he steps beyond the known world.  It is also evident that the many mosaics and wall paintings in the film are relevant to the story, as Stone frequently returns to them as teachers would use learning tools in a classroom.  Slowly the audience gets to see how this historical person was shaped in Stone’s interpretation.

It is an epic journey that Alexander undertakes and he is about to learn about group dynamics and the desires of others for wealth and power.  In a sense, the notions presented by Stone are very applicable in the modern world where xenophobia, homophobia, and expansionism exist.  This might seem a little too obvious of a contemporary societal critique, but the question remains for the audience to answer while viewing the film.

Some film critics have noted that war sequences are repetitively bloody, but then again is war not bloody and repetitive in the sense of killing?  In addition, the battle scenes create a sense of meaninglessness; as in retrospect humanity knows of the fabled glory of war created by kings and leaders to gain the masses approval and willingness to fight until the death.  Through these scenes, the audience does experience some of Alexander’s greatness in regards to warfare, but also see the bloody aftermath.

The film, unfortunately, suffers from some larger-than-life acting, which maybe tries to develop a sense that the Greek gods might have been conversing.  Perhaps it is a result of the big Greek forums and the learning of how to speak in public, or it might be an attempt to create an atmosphere of greatness.  Whatever the reason, it feels awkward and it cannot be neglected, as the story tries to deal with more psychological and social issues.  Despite what could be called intentionally overacting, Stone succeeds in capturing a stunning environment for almost all scenes through a terrific cinematography, which elevates the cinematic experience.

Stone like so many other storytellers before him has told his version of the truth and sometimes bent the truth to keep the audience’s attention, or to create a reaction.  In either case, it seems like Stone has added more to the myths around the historical person that also was the first to be named the Great.  It leaves the audience with a film that the viewer wants to like, but it does not really achieve the greatness it intended to.

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COUNTRY

USA / UK / Germany / Netherlands

Filmography links and data courtesy of