Alexander the BOLD

It must be true that “fortune favors the bold.” Director Oliver Stone makes a comeback of sorts with a bold rendering of Alexander-the-Great. Alexander may turn out to be his biggest success in years.

Stone pulls together Alexander’s epic story by focusing primarily on his characters’ emotional motivations. This differentiates Alexander from a slate of similar films thrust into production after Gladiator won best picture in 2001.

As a student of Aristotle, Alexander (Colin Ferrell) became great. By the age of 25, he had conquered the known world. Boldness is Alexander’s dominant trait, and each of the film’s characters is bold, too.

Alexander’s parents, Olympia (Angelia Jolie) and Philip (Val Kilmer), battle each other from the start. His friend and lover, Hephaistion (Jared Leto), and Alexander‘s wife (Rosario Dawson), don’t battle each other overtly, but are equally bold.

In Greek culture at the time, intimate friendships between males did not shock anyone’s sensibilities. There were no nouns or labels in the day to divide people into specific sexual orientations.

Alexander simply loved fiercely, battled heroically, and demanded perfection of his army and his subjects. He came to power at age 20 and died at 33. Perhaps his idealism and passion came with his youth.

Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers are among a dozen actors who make up Alexander’s gallery of nobles. Hopkin’s narration (as Ptolemy) guides the film through unrepentant expeditions, cinematically flawless battles, and sensuous celebrations.

Alexander the film is equally bold and complex. It doesn’t near perfection, but it reveals Alexander-the-Great’s interior and motives.

Stone has carpeted his work with an even-tempered score from Greek composer Vangelis. Production Designer Jan Roelfs and others performed technical wizardry.

Alexander is a three-hour technical marvel and a humane tale of the world’s most visionary military leader.