Let it first be said that no one should attempt to pass a history exam based on this flick. Though some parts were remarkably accurate, other parts were remarkably not.
Just as the realy story of alexander the great, this is not the feel-good hit of the year. The dudes life was fucked up, and you're weird if you dont feel a little awkward wathcing some of it. The movie, as a movie, was decent, 3.5 : 5 stars.
The movie as a biography was a massive dissapointment. This deffinately needed to be a 2 parter. It spent most of its time chronicling his decline and almost NO time chronicling his rise. Gaugamaela was the money shot, the last push to officialy seize Persia, but it damn sure wasn't his most impressive victory. How Alexander became "Alexander the Great" happened between Macedoni and Babylon. It sure as hell wasn't in india or caucasus.
-His first battle along side his father at Chaeronea
-Crossing the Granicus in uphill battle and winning
-The battle of Issus where he first met Darius face to face in battle. Darius ran away then, too.
-The seige of Tyre, I'm actualy kinda pissed they left this out bcause it was just cool. I wanted to expencive ass CGI to show what went down, but oliver stone is a bitch.
-The conquering of Egypt, naming him Pharaoh, the founding of Alexandria. They did show the famous lighthouse and the library from where hopkins was narrating from.
This movie would have been a great 2 part series. Part one his rise to greatness by conquest, part 2 his fall from greatness by indulgence and paranoia.
Other "creative liberties" include;
-Roxanne never left caucassus, there was no mariage, no offspring. He didnt marry her because she didn't want to. He was still a good dude then.
-Philotus and his dad were killed for secretly taking credit for Alexanders victories, not an assasination attempt.
-Alexander took an arrow tot he chest when, during a seige, single handedly climbed the walls of the city and began fighting everyone, alone. This was a damn good look into how he fought and who he ws, why they changed it, I dont know.
There were other things, but I'm sick of writing.
Maybe I know too much to enjoy these movies, so dont listen to my opinion, go watch the movie and form your own opinions. I have a feeling the christian right is going to be throwing a fit over this one.
[ 25. November 2004, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: Regenmeister ]