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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 22153
Released: August 2, 2005 |
| Our Price: $2.21 |
| Used Price: $0.50 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
For better or worse (and in this case, it's mostly for better), Oliver Stone's Alexander Revisited should stand as the definitive version of Stone's much-maligned epic about the great Asian conqueror. Following the DVD release of his previous Director's Cut, Stone offers a video introduction here, explaining why he felt a third and final attempt at refining his film was necessary. Essentially, he's using this opportunity to re-create the "road show" format of the Biblical epics of the 1950s and '60s, with a three-and-a-half-hour running time (with an intermission at the two-hour mark) including 45 minutes of previously unseen footage. Stone has also significantly restructured the film, resulting in substantial (if not exactly redemptive) improvements in its narrative flow. Alexander (played in a torrent of emotions by Colin Farrell) is dying as the film opens, his final moments serving to bookend the film's epic story, which incorporates flashback sequences to flesh out the Macedonian king's back-story involving the turbulent battle of fate between his father, King Philip (Val Kilmer) and his scheming sorceress mother Olympia (Angelina Jolie, ridiculous accent and all), who insists that Alexander is literally a child of the gods.
In Stone's final cut, epic battles remain chaotic (although Alexander's strategy is somewhat easier to follow, with on-screen titles indicating left, right, and center during his army's greatest maneuvers) and the ultra-violent battles are more graphically gory than ever (hence their "unrated" status). The animalistic lovemaking of Alexander and his barbarian bride Roxana (Rosario Dawson) is slightly extended (with Dawson as ravishing as ever), and Stone's additional footage also improves the overall arc of Alexander's relationship with his closest generals and male companions, although his most intimate homosexual encounters remain mostly discreet. As Alexander Revisited makes clear, the film's weaknesses remain unavoidable, but Stone deserves credit for recognizing how a longer running time, and more disciplined narrative structure, would bring Alexander closer to the respect it never earned from critics and filmgoers alike. This is unquestionably a better film than it used to be, leaving us to wonder why it took three separate efforts to shape Alexander into its best possible presentation. --Jeff Shannon
Alexander - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) Reviews:
Alexander Revisited 
2008-08-22 - I liked Alexander Revisited so much that I have watched it at least a dozen times. It has plenty of "realistic" action but also gets into the psychology of its characters. I have much respect for the director Oliver Stone for having the courage to portray the "real" Alexander, unlike Wolfgang Petersen, the director of Troy who tried to pawn Achelles' lover Petrocolus off as his "cousin." That was contemptable. The truth was that Alexander showed little personal interest in women. The fact that he was bi-sexual (at most) did not detract from his being a colossus.
Jared Leto was very convincing as Alexander's general and lover Hephaestian, not to mention that he was gorgeous. I am sorry Francisco Bosch who played the eunuch Bagoas didn't get a higher billing as his character was important and he did a great job. I think they could have found someone more suited than Colin Farrell to play Alexander. For one thing, he looked nothing like him. Alexander was "more beautiful" than that. The horse that played Alexander's horse Bucephalus was an incredibly majestic animal! What a warrier!
I read in one review that Stone didn't stick to the facts. I disagree. It isn't easy to cram a life like that in three and a half hours, but the few things he altered were either to adher to the time limit or possibly for effect. The way Alexander found Bagoas was "simplified," and Bucephalus did not die in battle, but of old age at thirty. The general Cassander was one of the few of Alexander's boyhood companions not in his army because they hated each other. But I'm glad Stone included him because Jonathan Rhys Myers who played that role is one of my favorites. I'm sorry they didn't make more of the death of Hephaestian as in truth Alexander went into what some called a psychotic rage that lasted for sometime and had far-reaching consequences. Angelina Jolie as Alexander's mother Olympius was magnificant, and again, authentic, even down to the snakes.
Third time the charm? 
2008-07-30 - I quite liked the director's cut version of Alexander, while not being a great film it was something about it that I found fascinating so when I heard about this Final Cut I knew I had to see it. I think the movie is better this way, a lot better infact, but it will never be a great movie. There's something lacking and I can't quite put my finger on what it is.
I was hoping for a director's commentary (I think Oliver Stone's commentary track for the Platoon was superb) but I had to settle for an introduction. No other extras, this is just the movie.
I would recommend this to those who liked the previous incarnations of this movie, but I don't really think this cut will change anyone's view of the movie. Either you liked it to begin with (if so I recommend this cut), or you didn't (then I recommend you see the 4-hour cut of Kingdom of Heaven instead).
Average... 
2008-07-29 - Although visually a great Blu-ray, Alexander is NOT your typical epic battle movie, I found myself wanting to throw in 300 after the first hour or so.
Wonderful Movie
2008-07-25 - This movie is simply amazing. If all you want is blood and gore this probably isn't the movie for you, it goes much deeper into the inner character of Alexander.
Alexander - Director's Cut but Not the Greatest Version
2008-07-12 - This version I purchased mainly for the Special Features and extras since they are missing off the Special Director's Cut version that is Oliver Stone's personal, FINAL cut of this film. That version is the best, the storyline makes the most sense and all the available footage he could find is included.
This two disc edition has all the behind the scenes features, however, and as such, is a valuable addition to my collection because they are some of the best b.t.s. shorts and featurettes I've seen in a long time. Get this version if only for that reason, or to compare versions. It's worth it!
