Alexander (2004) Oliver Stone I have never been a fan of Oliver Stone, but I went into Alexander with high expectations. It was, after all, the story of one of history's most compelling figures. It also promised to be a lavish production, provided that Stone would rein in his usual self-indulgence. Alas, my expectations were soon dashed, for Stone seems unwilling (or unable) to abandon his appetite for excess theatricality. Alexander, despite the fascinating historic figure at its center and all its epic dimension, is a crude, turgid bore, with a banal screenplay, clumsy, overwrought direction, and poor acting. For starters, the story is told in a nonlinear fashion, jumping back and forth between different periods, completely destroying the viewer's ability to follow (or care about) Alexander's life and accomplishments. The film opens with the death of Alexander (finely played by Colin Farrell), and is soon followed by a talky, overlong scene in which Alexander's story is dictated by the aged Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins) to his scribes. The film then moves into Alexander's childhood and then adulthood, covering his rather dysfunctional relationship with his father Phillip (Val Kilmer), and ultimately, Alexander's conquest of the known world. Then, roughly two thirds of the way through the film, the viewer is suddenly thrown back years earlier, into an extended scene where Phillip is assassinated. Perhaps Stone was trying for something akin to Citizen Kane, but the clumsy nature of these time-shifts make an already awkward film just plain off-putting. In the role of Phillip, Val Kilmer wins my award for the best unintentionally hilarious performance of the year. Kilmer's attempt to ape Farrell's Irish accent (presumably for the sake of continuity) only comes off sounding like Blackbeard the Pirate. Angelina Jolie as Alexander's mother looks great in a chiton, but is far too young to be playing Alexander's mother, for she cannot be more than five years Farrell's senior. The battle scenes are appropriately epic and sprawling, but are little more than replicas of those seen in Braveheart and Gladiator.This is not to say that Alexander is completely devoid of virtue. There are many scenes which are rich in visual splendor and copious moments of exotic, compelling sensuality. Indeed, the costumes, sets, and overall visual palette is a kaleidoscope of stunning imagery. The score by Greek composer Vangelis Papathanassiou (Blade Runner) is the film's most shining virtue, and his ability to express epic glory and earthy primitivism through his music is excellent. In fact, so effective is the score that in the scenes where the music is permitted to shine, the viewer is almost convinced that Alexander is a decent film. But for all its cosmetic virtues, Alexander never succeeds in involving the viewer, and offers little insight into what drove the man to become what he was. The overall narrative is convoluted, characters are an indistinct blur, and in the end, even the character of Alexander remains an unsatisfying enigma. —Paul Andrew MacLean

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