Is Oliver Stone's Alexander worth a watch?

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I have been checking the Netflix listings for August and Oliver Stone's Alexander is gonna be coming to Netflix next Monday and its the Ultimate Cut of the movie.

Now my only exposure of this movie is from History Buff's review of it and he was very critical of the movie. Not failing in historical accuracy, but failing as a movie:


So at first I wrote off the movie, but then after actually reading the history of Alexander's history for my class, I recently saw this video of it:


OK movie now you sold me, I like me some epic battle scenes. I liked Troy, 300, Kingdom of Heaven, and parts of Gladiator because of the battles. And doing furthur research Oliver Stone did many director's cuts to improve the movie, like its the difference between the theatrical cut of Kingdom of Heaven and the Director's Cut I heard.

So is it worth a watch?

 

[Chewster]

When it first came out I got a free ticket to see it and I still wanted my money back.

Like, if all your friends bail on a Saturday night and you've hit no matches on Tinder in a while than maybe but otherwise your time would be spent, I dunno, watching the Weather Channel or something.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

When it first came out I got a free ticket to see it and I still wanted my money back.

Like, if all your friends bail on a Saturday night and you've hit no matches on Tinder in a while than maybe but otherwise your time would be spent, I dunno, watching the Weather Channel or something.

But again you were watching the theatrical version and since then many new director's cuts came out to rehibilitate and improve the film.

Netflix is getting the last "Ultimate" Cut.

 

[Trunkage]

300 is pretty much lies. Gladiator is a bunch of stupid. So Alexander is a step up from that. But honestly, I watched it once and that was enough. I cant remember much about it. Much like Troy to me. If you do watch it, don't expect it to be great.

Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

300 is pretty much lies. Gladiator is a bunch of stupid. So Alexander is a step up from that. But honestly, I watched it once and that was enough. I cant remember much about it. Much like Troy to me. If you do watch it, don't expect it to be great.

Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

I could have also mentioned The Patriot, Waterloo, Glory, and Gettysburg to include a more modern esque historical War movie.

And lets not forget Braveheart

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

That movie blows. Honestly, I don't remember anything about it, just that I watched it when it came out and I thought it sucked.

You're better off playing some Age of Empires, Rise of Nations, or whatever RTS the kids play these days.

 

[twistedmic]

I have been checking the Netflix listings for August and Oliver Stone's Alexander is gonna be coming to Netflix next Monday and its the Ultimate Cut of the movie.

I haven't seen it myself, so I can't help you on that front, but if it's coming on Netflix you don't really have anything to loose if you give it a shot and don't like it (other than a bit of time I suppose). It's not like the ancient days of Blockbuster where you had to pay to rent it. You can give the movie a shot and if you don't like it partway through you can always switch to something you know you like.

 

[Abomination]

The director's cut is a lot better. If you want a historical docu-drama then it fills that role very well. But it is not what one would consider a good mainstream film.

It does jump around a ton as well, but if you know the history it is something you will appreciate.

If you want a great historical film though you can't go wrong with Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

The director's cut is a lot better. If you want a historical docu-drama then it fills that role very well. But it is not what one would consider a good mainstream film.

It does jump around a ton as well, but if you know the history it is something you will appreciate.

If you want a great historical film though you can't go wrong with Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World.

Here is where my historical preference and biases arises.

I am not that big a fan on History after the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. I.E. anything after the 16th Century.

I think Warfare from 17th Century to US Civil War is not as "cool" as good old melee and swords.

Even the era of Pike and Shot had more Melee combat then the Napoleonic War.

 

[Dalisclock]

I saw it a long time ago. I remember thinking "Man, Oliver Stone. You took the life of Alexander the Great and made it BORING. That takes some talent right there".

I don't really remember anything beyond that, honestly. Somehow I don't think watching it now would improve my opinion much.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

300 is pretty much lies. Gladiator is a bunch of stupid. So Alexander is a step up from that. But honestly, I watched it once and that was enough. I cant remember much about it. Much like Troy to me. If you do watch it, don't expect it to be great.

Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

Gladiator, much like Braveheart, is bullshit from top to tail, but fuck if it isne't compellingly told, magnificently scored and (largely) brilliantly acted bullshit. And I'll take well made nonsense of badly made accuracy any day of the week.

Kingdom of Heaven was just okay unless you got the Director's Cut which I think is legitimately incredible.

 

[Trunkage]

300 is pretty much lies. Gladiator is a bunch of stupid. So Alexander is a step up from that. But honestly, I watched it once and that was enough. I cant remember much about it. Much like Troy to me. If you do watch it, don't expect it to be great.

Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

Gladiator, much like Braveheart, is bullshit from top to tail, but fuck if it isne't compellingly told, magnificently scored and (largely) brilliantly acted bullshit. And I'll take well made nonsense of badly made accuracy any day of the week.

Kingdom of Heaven was just okay unless you got the Director's Cut which I think is legitimately incredible.

Could not disagree with you more. I think Gladiator is atrocious. I'd watch Alexander anyday over it

 

[SckizoBoy]

Here is where my historical preference and biases arises.

I am not that big a fan on History after the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. I.E. anything after the 16th Century.

I think Warfare from 17th Century to US Civil War is not as "cool" as good old melee and swords.

OK, that's fine...

Even the era of Pike and Shot had more Melee combat then the Napoleonic War.

Typo? Given that the Napoleonic Wars were more or less the ideological epitome of smoothbore firearms warfare, of course the era of Pike & Shot would have more melee combat.

Anyway, regarding whether to watch Alexander, as a spectacle, it's a great deal more refined (& researched in terms of military systems, admittedly) than Alexander the Great (Richard Burton), and though I've only seen the first Director's Cut, it was alright as it got most events right, the battle of Gaugamela (which was actually a hash-up of Gaugamela and Issus... took me a while to get over that, but I got over it) is well portrayed and the stand out scene for me. My main criticism being that Macedonians = Irish.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I wasn't a fan. It felt like it was trying too hard and not succeeding. It didn't feel at all authentic and lacked the soul of the epic it was pretending to be. I can't say what part of it was bad enough that the movie was bad for it, but you won't get anything out of watching it. It doesn't have spectacle, it doesn't have tremendous characterisation and drama, it doesn't have a clever story, it is a forgettable film masquerading as an epic.

A film critic might be able to identify where the main issues were, but I can say it's not worth your time.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

300 is pretty much lies. Gladiator is a bunch of stupid. So Alexander is a step up from that. But honestly, I watched it once and that was enough. I cant remember much about it. Much like Troy to me. If you do watch it, don't expect it to be great.

Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

Gladiator, much like Braveheart, is bullshit from top to tail, but fuck if it isne't compellingly told, magnificently scored and (largely) brilliantly acted bullshit. And I'll take well made nonsense of badly made accuracy any day of the week.

Kingdom of Heaven was just okay unless you got the Director's Cut which I think is legitimately incredible.

Could not disagree with you more. I think Gladiator is atrocious. I'd watch Alexander anyday over it

I personally think Gladiators and the Colosseum are the most overrated thing about Ancient Rome. Why did that movie won best picture?

And HBO's Rome is way better.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I wasn't a fan. It felt like it was trying too hard and not succeeding. It didn't feel at all authentic and lacked the soul of the epic it was pretending to be. I can't say what part of it was bad enough that the movie was bad for it, but you won't get anything out of watching it. It doesn't have spectacle, it doesn't have tremendous characterisation and drama, it doesn't have a clever story, it is a forgettable film masquerading as an epic.

A film critic might be able to identify where the main issues were, but I can say it's not worth your time.

Did you watch the Ultimate Cut?

 

[Dalisclock]

300 is pretty much lies.
Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

Kingdom of Heaven is a good movie. It's just awful history all around.

300 is kind of the same, except it doesn't even pretend to be actual history. The narrative format, including that scene at the end, makes it clear it's pretty much a Spartan Propaganda tale, told in such a way to get the Spartans all riled up for the upcoming battle. Which I thought was brilliant.

If the Spartans had made films, I imagine most of them would have been similar to 300. Over the top and jingoistic as all hell.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

300 is pretty much lies.
Also, I never thought I'd say this, Kingdom of Heaven is the best movie on that list. And I don't like KoH

Kingdom of Heaven is a good movie. It's just awful history all around.

Had the best Battle scenes then any Historical Movie I have seen. The Siege of Jerusalem gives Helm's Deep a run for its money:


And I still think Orlando Bloom is way too maligned an actor. He's not that bad that everyone makes him out to be.

 

[ItouKaiji]

Unless the ultimate cut somehow replaces Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie then you're still in for three hours of terrible performances. Farrell has proven himself a capable actor, but he was horribly miscast for Alexander. I have no clue what Jolie was doing with her performance or why Stone allowed her to do that goofy accent, but it's dreadful.

The battles are well staged though. There is just way to much bad acting in between to make it worth watching just for that.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Unless the ultimate cut somehow replaces Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie then you're still in for three hours of terrible performances. Farrell has proven himself a capable actor, but he was horribly miscast for Alexander. I have no clue what Jolie was doing with her performance or why Stone allowed her to do that goofy accent, but it's dreadful.

The battles are well staged though. There is just way to much bad acting in between to make it worth watching just for that.

I do got the impression that the worse parts of the movie is when Alexander and Olympias are on scene together. Anyway here's the list of the various changes and updates the movie got:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_(2004_film)#Versions

The Ultimate Cut went as a far removing some scenes, hopefully its the scenes with the cringiest acting.