The Alamo (2004)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

John Lee Hancock

Writers (WGA):

Leslie Bohem (written by) and
Stephen Gaghan (written by) ...

Release Date:

9 April 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War | Western

Tagline:

You will never forget

Plot:

Based on the 1836 standoff between a group of Texan and Tejano men, led by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, and Mexican dictator Santa Anna's forces at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

Plot Keywords:

Texas | Alamo | Davy Crockett | Siege | Sam Houston

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Sam Houston
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Davy Crockett
Jason Patric	...	James Bowie
Patrick Wilson	...	William Travis
Emilio Echevarría	...	Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana
Jordi Mollà	...	Juan Seguin
Leon Rippy	...	Sgt. William Ward
Tom Davidson	...	Colonel Green Jameson
Marc Blucas	...	James Bonham
Robert Prentiss	...	Albert Grimes
Kevin Page	...	Micajah Autry
Joe Stevens	...	Mial Scurlock
Stephen Bruton	...	Captain Almeron Dickinson
Laura Clifton	...	Susanna Dickinson
Ricardo Chavira	...	Private Gregorio Esparza (as Ricardo S. Chavira)

Also Known As:

The Alamo (Philippines: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sustained intense battle sequences.

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:12 | Ireland:12 | Italy:T | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40620) | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Texas, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

At 51 acres, the set was the largest and most expensive set built in North America to date.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lt. Colonel Travis is departing from the house where he drops his son off, we see his black assistant standing next to his horse. In the next shot, the assistant is already mounted.

Quotes:

David Crockett: I wanna warn you all, I'm a screamer...
[screams as he is executed by Mexican soldiers]

Movie Connections:

Version of The Alamo (1960)

Soundtrack:

La Zandunga

A very good film that did not deserve negative reviews!

I really don't understand the mostly venomous reviews for this film. It was the most historically accurate film ever made on the subject and the acting, for the most part,was exemplary; although, I must admit it is far from my favorite performance by Quaid. But Thornton, Patric, and Wilson were tremendous; I cannot imagine anyone else playing those 3 roles as well as they did! It is a sad commentary on the preferences of our society in general when a film this good and on this type of subject does so poorly. I hate to pose this question, but could it be due to a Texas/war backlash due to our current administration and the Iraq situation? Or as a movie-going public, do we prefer to be "dumbed-down" these days? Anyway, I highly recommend this film!