"Alexander" is the finally nail in the coffin for ancient epic films. "Gladiator" returned the genre to prosperity, but after
this year''s disappointing "Troy," "Alexander" proves to be even worse.
Earlier this year, "Troy" unleashed Brad Pitt, Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom upon theaters, seeking to repeat the success of "Gladiator." It failed, providing entertaining sequences without much content to back the action up. Movie-Source cited director Wolfgang Petersen for the film''s failures; "Troy" was bland and without flavor.
As for "Alexander," directed by the great Oliver Stone, the complete opposite is the problem. Visually, "Alexander" is impressive. The visual effects and set design look much more realistic than what was executed in "Troy." The film is dark and gritty just the way a movie like this should be. Stone knows how to use a camera like he knows how to use his hands... Unfortunately, where there is visual flare there is nothing entertaining to compel audiences to sit through the three hour running time. "Alexander" is boring, boring, boring and... did I mention boring? There are only two battle scenes in the entire movie, only one of them of significant size. The rest is talking, talking and more talking, and if I sound like I''m whining, you may be right. Nevertheless, "Alexander" does not work as a three-hour dialogue drama, whether it be due to expectations of something more exciting or just because it is deeply flawed.