History YMMV / Alexander

* EvilIsSexy: Queen Olympias. LadyMacbeth-like ManipulativeBitch. Played by Creator/AngelinaJolie. With a devilish twinkle in her eye and PsychoticSmirk. Just. Plain. ''Hot''! Especially when Philip is killed at the theater, where her AllAccordingToPlan expression is beyond perfect.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/ColinFarrell as Alexander the Great, whom Creator/RogerEbert cited as far too much of a NiceGuy to convincingly play a monomaniacal conqueror (in his review, he suggesed Creator/WoodyHarrelson as a better fit). Also Creator/AngelinaJolie as Olympias, who plays Alexander's mother without any attempt to disguise her age, despite Jolie is only a year older than Farrell.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/ColinFarrell as Alexander the Great. Also Creator/AngelinaJolie as Olympias, who plays Alexander's mother without any attempt to disguise her age, despite Jolie is only a year older than Farrell.
* WTHCostumingDepartment: Colin Farrell's bright blond wig, which was about as convincing as his aforementioned performance as the legendary conqueror.

** Alexander' and Cleitus' quarrel is a heartbreaking scene, but every time the camera focuses on Alexander, we also see the Indian king seated next to him looking hilariously bored as the discussion scalates.

* TearJerker: Hephaestion's inevitable death is made all the more poignant when Alexander, who has become progressively disillusioned with his dreams throughout the film, starts speaking to him hopefully about all the great things they have yet to accomplish and how they will grow old together. Hephaestion dies in the middle of the speech, while Alexander keeps going without even noticing.

** Irish people have a hard enough time taking this film seriously, but when Mick Lally (now-deceased well-known star of now-deceased soap opera ''Glenroe'', along with prodigious stage career) shows up, playing a freaking Macedonian horse-trader, and hamming it up for all he's worth, it just takes the cake.
** Alexander seeing the statue of his father come alive and nod at him.
** Alexander getting statue eyes in battle.

** Too bad the film didn't portray the Battle of the Hydaspes as faithfully as it did with Gaugamela. Alex not only won that one using simple yet clever strategy, King Poros was not killed but surrendered and became a respected ally.[[note]]The elephant was okay too![[/note]] Imagine Colin Farrell and Bin Buluerit (who plays Poros in the film) speaking the words that have come down through history:

* EvilIsSexy: Queen Olympias. LadyMacbeth-like ManipulativeBitch. Played by Creator/AngelinaJolie. With a devilish twinkle in her eye and PsychoticSmirk. Just. Plain. ''Hot''!
** Especially when Philip is killed at the theater. Her AllAccordingToPlan expression is beyond perfect.

* JustHereForGodzilla: Regardless of the film itself or its controversies, fans of ancient warfare desiring to watch a [[BigBadassBattleSequence big time portrayal]] of the Battle of Gaugamela have usually a field day with this movie. While there are a handful of artistic licenses, it's undeniable that a crapton of money and effort was put into making it as faithful to real history as possible. Too bad they didn't do the same with the Battle of the Hydaspes. Alex not only won that one using simple yet clever strategy, King Poros was not killed but surrendered and became a respected ally.[[note]]The elephant was okay too![[/note]] Imagine Colin Farrell and Bin Buluerit as Poros speaking the words that have come down through history:
-->'''Alexander:''' How do you wish to be treated?\\
'''Poros:''' [[TheGoodKing Like a king]].

** Oliver Stone and some others blamed Americans and their rampant homophobia when there were some complaints about a bisexual Alexander the Great. They more or less explained that all or most Americans were homophobic and completely ignorant of history. The only problem: there weren't really any complaints on the American side concerning Alexander's sexuality. The complaints were coming from conservative Greeks. No-one called them out on it.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The story of Alexander the Great is one of most incredible in human history. Somehow they managed to take this and turn it into a badly cast narmfest that turned audiences off in droves.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/ColinFarrell as Alexander the Great. Also Creator/AngelinaJolie as Olympias, who plays Alexander's mother, despite Jolie is only a year older than Farrell.