Alexander

PLOT

The story begins around 285 BC, with Ptolemy I Soter, who narrates throughout the film.[4] Alexander grows up with his mother Olympias and his tutor Aristotle, where he finds interest in love, honor, music, exploration, poetry and military combat. His relationship with his father, Philip II of Macedon, is destroyed when Philip marries Attalus's niece, Eurydice. Alexander insults Philip after disowning Attalus as his kinsman, which results in Alexander's banishment from Philip's palace.

After Philip is assassinated, Alexander becomes King of Macedonia. Ptolemy mentions Alexander's punitive campaign in which he razes Thebes, also referring to the later burning of Persepolis, then gives an overview of Alexander's west-Persian campaign, including his declaration as the son of Zeus by the Oracle of Amun at Siwa Oasis, his great battle against the Persian Emperor Darius III in the Battle of Gaugamela, and his eight-year campaign across Asia.

Also seen are Alexander's private relationships with his childhood friend Hephaestion, Bagoas, and later his wife, Roxana. Hephaestion compares Alexander to Achilles, to which Alexander replies that Hephaestion must be his Patroclus (Achilles' lover). When Hephaestion mentions that Patroclus died first, Alexander pledges that, if Hephaestion should die first, he will follow him into the afterlife (as Achilles had done for Patroclus). Hephaestion shows extensive jealousy when he sees Alexander with Roxana, and deep sadness when he marries her, going so far as to attempt to keep her away from him after Alexander murders Cleitus the Black in India.

After initial objection from his soldiers, Alexander convinces them to join him in his final and bloodiest battle, the Battle of Hydaspes. He is severely injured with an arrow but survives and is celebrated. Later on, Hephaestion succumbs to an unknown illness either by chance or perhaps poison, speculated in the film to be typhus carried with him from India. Alexander, full of grief and anger, distances himself from his wife, despite her pregnancy, believing that she has killed Hephaestion. He dies less than three months after Hephaestion, in the same manner, keeping his promise that he would follow him. On his deathbed, Bagoas grieves as Alexander's generals begin to split up his kingdom and fight over the ownership of his body.

The story then returns to 285 BC, where Ptolemy admits to his scribe that he, along with all the other officers, had indeed poisoned Alexander just to spare themselves from any future conquests or consequences. However, he has it recorded that Alexander died due to illness compounding his overall weakened condition. He then goes on to end his memoirs with praise to Alexander.

The movie then ends with the note that Ptolemy's memoirs of Alexander were eventually burned, lost forever with the Library of Alexandria.

CAST

Colin Farrell as Alexander

Jessie Kamm as child Alexander

Connor Paolo as young Alexander

Angelina Jolie as Queen Olympias

Val Kilmer as King Philip II

Anthony Hopkins as old Ptolemy

Elliot Cowan as adult Ptolemy

Robert Earley as young Ptolemy

Jared Leto as Hephaestion

Patrick Carroll as young Hephaestion

Rosario Dawson as Roxana

Christopher Plummer as Aristotle

David Bedella as scribe Cadmus

Fiona O'Shaughnessy as nurse

Brian Blessed as wrestling trainer

Gary Stretch as Cleitus the Black

John Kavanagh as Parmenion

Nick Dunning as Attalus

Marie Meyer as Eurydice

Mick Lally as horse seller

Joseph Morgan as Philotas

Ian Beattie as Antigonus

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Cassander

Morgan Christopher Ferris as young Cassander

Denis Conway as Nearchus

Peter Williamson as young Nearchus

Neil Jackson as Perdiccas

Aleczander Gordon as young Perdiccas

Garrett Lombard as Leonnatus

Chris Aberdein as Polyperchon

Rory McCann as Craterus

Tim Pigott-Smith as omen reader

Raz Degan as Darius

Erol Sander as Persian prince

Stéphane Ferrara as Bessus, Bactrian commander

Tadhg Murphy as dying soldier

Francisco Bosch as Bagoas

Annelise Hesme as Stateira

Toby Kebbell as Pausanias of Orestis

Laird Macintosh as Greek officer

Féodor Atkine as Roxana's father

Bin Bunluerit as King Porus of India

Jaran Ngramdee as Indian prince

Brian McGrath as doctor

Oliver Stone (uncredited) as Macedonian soldier at Zeus Statue

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 epic historical drama film based on the life of the ancient Macedonian general and king Alexander the Great.

Extremely long movie lasting over 3 hours