The Alamo

The Alamo

By John Lee Hancock

  • Genre: Action & Adventure
  • Release Date: 2004-04-09
  • Advisory Rating: PG-13
  • Runtime: 2h 17min
  • Director: John Lee Hancock
  • Production Company: Batjac Productions
  • Production Country: United States of America
  • iTunes Price: USD 17.99
  • iTunes Rent Price: USD 3.99
7.1/10
7.1
From 343 Ratings
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Description

Where myth meets history. Where legend meets reality. The roads cross at San Antonio de Bexar and the small, ruined mission there: the Alamo. In the spring of 1836, nearly 200 Texans - men of all races who believed in the future of Texas - held the fort for 13 days under siege by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico and commander of its forces. Led by three men - the young, brash Col. William Travis; the violent, passionate James Bowie; and the larger than-life living legend David Crockett - the Texans and their deeds at the Alamo would pass into history as General Sam Houston's rallying cry for Texas independence and into legend for their symbolic significance. Historical action western detailing the 1835-36 Texas revolution before, during, and after the famous siege of the Alamo (February 23-March 6, 1836) where 183 Texans (American-born Texans) and Tejanos (Mexican-born Texans) commanded by Colonel Travis, along with Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie, were besieged in an abandoned mission outside San Antonio by a Mexican army of nearly 2,000 men under the personal command of the dictator of Mexico, General Santa Anna, as well as detailing the battle of San Jacinto (April 21, 1836) where General Sam Houston's rag-tag army of Texans took on and defeated Santa Anna's army leading to the independence of Texas. "The Alamo" retells the events surrounding that battle from multiple perspectives on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border. John Lee Hancock (The Rookie) directs a cast that includes Patrick Wilson (Lt. Col. William Travis), Jason Patric (James Bowie), Billy Bob Thornton (David Crockett), and Dennis Quaid (Gen. Sam Houston).

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Reviews

  • Dumb Reviews

    2
    By vossba
    I bought this because the reviews say it’s good, but I tried watching and this movie is SLOW. A sundial attendant would get bored 30 mins into this.

  • Can’t stop thinking about this movie

    5
    By Penguin2222
    Every. Single. Shot. And. Dialogue is phenomenal! A true classic that shouldn’t be forgotten! My only kick is that the Mexican army attacked the Alamo 4 times (successfully entering the Alamo on the 4th try), but the film shows only two attacks with the first being Santa Anna just measuring their strength. I read the filmmaking struggled with the budget so this becomes more forgivable, but Santa Anna was not some genius who could take the Alamo at any time. He FAILED three times before the successful fourth try. Billy Bob Thornton, Patrick Wilson, and the composer and cinematographer should have been all nominated for academy awards.

  • Great Film!

    5
    By Whatrix
    Another reason to ignore rotten toms. To not even like this film shows a NYC ignorance of the subject. As others have stated it is more mythology than fact but only in the details. Much of the film is as accurate as it’s gonna get.. Great acting great story! Screw rotten toms!

  • The Alamo History

    5
    By GeometryHomework
    The only reason that what happened at the Alamo happened, was because of two problems. Land and slaves. Settlers had been coming to Texas for the fertile land and for money. They had to obey Mexican laws, become Mexican citizens, exc. But the Texans Broke the rules an brought in slaves because the ground was perfect for farming. Skipping forward a bit, there was a rebellion and members of that rebellion were at the Alamo. Santa Anna sent 8000 of his troops and lead them personally. He was cruel and ruthless, killing even his own soldiers. He surrounded the Alamo and attacked in the small hours of the morning. Nobody there survived except Susanna Dickenson, who recorded the story of what happened.

  • Great

    5
    By Farmer13579
    To all those people who say the Texans did Mexico injustice, that is not true! Santa Ann promised a constitution and freedom but got rid of it. Also sant is know to have said, " if I was god, I would want more".

  • Critics are wrong about this movie

    4
    By cjcampbell
    Critics have complained that the movie is too ‘talky’ and that it moves too slowly. The same complaint is made about the John Wayne version. Perhaps, if you grew up on Transformers or X-Men or some other ‘entertainment’ that is all flash and bang and no substance. “Alamo” gives us a feeling of what the men were like and how they came to be in such a situation in the first place. After all, this movie is about a siege that lasted 13 days. What do you expect? The “Alamo” is a great depiction of leadership, group dynamics, and what happens to men trapped in such a situation. What “Alamo” movies do not give you is much context, especially about why the Texians rebelled in the first place. Hollywood tends to assume that it was some sort of land grab. It was not. Texas was settled by large numbers of Americans who were encouraged to move there, first by Spain, then by Mexico. The settlers were reasonably good Mexican citizens and there was little talk of secession until Santa Ana rose to power. Santa Ana suspended the Constitution of 1824, took away all civil rights, increased taxes, appointed himself dictator, and threatened to invade the United States. This provoked a general uprising in Texas and some other places in Mexico. Almost none of this history is discussed in the movie. It should be, as it explains why both Mexicans and Americans living in Texas rebelled. But overall, a good movie that takes fewer historical liberties than most previous efforts. I really enjoy the relationship depicted between Travis and Bowie. It feels ‘real.'

  • The Alamo

    5
    By RTD JIM
    A very good movie; much better than the John Wayne version. I liked Billy Bob Thorton's Crockett. From what I've read, his Crockett was more accurate than John Wayne's depiction.

  • Only for Texans

    5
    By ryan3049
    You know if your not a Tenesiest or a Texan you don't fell the emotion and pride of defeating an enemy that so greatly outnumbered us but yet we won.

  • Make it available to buy already!!!!

    5
    By IAmTheLastJedi
    Come on and let me buy this!

  • Just Amazing

    5
    By SpiderPig208
    I am 13 and I first what he'd this movie in my history class but of course we never got to finish it. So I went home, got on my ipad and rented it and overall it is an amazing movie filled with facts. I wish I could purchase it. So if your not sure if your like it or not get it anyways because I know you will like it!!! -That Kid

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Movies by John Lee Hancock

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