Alexander Revisited - The Final Cut (2004)

Terrible

I saw this with a friend in theatres and was so disappointed. He should have died many times making impossible escapes. July 8, 2008

A surprise delight

Good video transfer, good audio tranfer, disappointed that the HD DVD has no true HD sound option, however, Dolby digital plus was good. April 18, 2008

Reference Quality HD DVD; Poor Film

I bought this disc just to see how great it would look in HD. This movie is demo quality. There are several spectacular scenes that perfectly show off the HD medium.

However, I still cannot like this movie. My main problem is with Colin Farrell in the lead. He just does not come off as the charismatic leader the real Alexander was. His Irish brogue seems out of place, and he lacks the heroic quality required for the role. In his speech before the battle of Gaugemela, he attempts a "Crispin's Day" clarion call at the end of the speech that is so poor, my wife and I actually chuckled. The "honeymoon scene" with Rosario Dawson is equally inept. It was as if Stone had not written anything for the scene, and let the actors "improv" the scene. Dawson pushes and hits at Farrell, while Farrel hisses like a cat. Again, more unintentional humor.

It seemed to me that Stone just could not produce a good script for this film, so it never gels. However, he shot in some great locations,and there is some fine CGI enhancement of some scenes. I find it worth watching for the visual impact, but for little else. One of those films in which the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. March 20, 2008

A great rework of film

A great final cut for the film Alexander. The HD DVD version gives beautiful picture and sound, giving an amazing movie experience. This specific version of the film is probably my favorite from the original theatrical version. The story unfolds more realistically, with a better visual understanding that leads to Alexander's final words. I really enjoyed that this cut showed the last battle in the opening sequence, leading back to past moments of Alexander's life. Great film, great scenes, actors, and visual art. February 9, 2008

Miscasting at its worst!

Colin Farrell was absolutely the worst choice for Alexander. He was never believable. It was the most cardboardish characterization in movies I have ever seen. Colin Farrell looked like a bleached blond porn star. Yikes! What was Oliver Stone thinking!?? Horrendous. The fact that Anthony Hopkins spends a sizable chunk of the movie narrating the movie to a scribe does not help either. Rent, don't buy if you must check out the train wreck for yourself. Try Troy if you're looking for a nice epic. January 19, 2008

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