Alexander 2004
Fortune Favors the Bold
Story He was many things to many people -- a dashing warrior king, filled with ambition, courage and the arrogance of youth, leading his vastly outnumbered forces against the massive Persian armies...a son desperately longing for the approval of his stern, battle-scarred father, torn and conflicted by his mother’s legacy…a relentless conqueror who never lost a battle and drove his soldiers to the very edges of the known world...a visionary whose dreams, deeds and destiny echo through eternity, helping to shape the world as we know it today. He was all that and more. He was Alexander the Great.
Oliver Stone’s Alexander is based on the true story of one of history’s most luminous and influential leaders -- a man who had conquered 90% of the known world by the age of 25. Alexander, Collin Farrell, led his virtually invincible Greek, Macedonian, and later Eastern armies through 22,000 miles of sieges and conquests in just eight years, and by the time of his death at the age of 32, had forged an empire unlike any the world had ever seen.
Set in Alexander’s pre-Christian world of social customs and morals far different from today’s, Alexander explores a time of unmatched beauty and unbelievable brutality, of soaring ideals and staggering betrayals. The film takes a bold, honest look at Alexander’s life and his relationships with his mother, Olympias, Angelina Jolie, his father Philip, Val Kilmer, his lifelong friend and battle commander Hephaistion, Jared Leno, Roxane, his ambitious and beautiful wife, Rosario Dawson, and his trusted general and confidant Ptolemy, Anthony Hopkins.
Cast Val Kilmer, Collin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Jared Leno, Rosario Dawson and Anthony Hopkins.
Our Two Cents Kilmer's portrayal of Phillip was very physically demanding. Kilmer had to gain about 50 lbs. for the role. During this process, he was spending the day at the beach with his family when the paparazzi shot photos of him. These were the photos that were widely publicized and led to nasty comments being made about his appearance. Anyone who has seen Kilmer since then knows that he has lost the weight and is trim and fit.
There are only a handful of extraordinary actors who go to such lengths to be the best they can possibly be for their craft. Val Kilmer is part of that elite group.
Bonus: For an in depth look at the relationship between Philip and Alexander, check out Philp and Alexander: The Story Behind the Story.