 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Alamo
- Review Date: September 26, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Doesn't work despite Thornton's top performance.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has intense battle violence with many deaths. Everyone in the Alamo is killed (made clear at the very beginning of the movie). Characters drink and smoke and use some strong language, including insults like "catamite" that might be unfamiliar to today's audiences. There is a sexual situation with a hint of coercion. A character refuses to free his slave, saying, "You're my property until I die."
What's the story?
Dennis Quaid stars as General Sam Houston in this retelling of the famous 1836 battle, in which Mexico's Santa Anna and his troops battle against the Americans at the Alamo Mission during the Texan War of Independence. Among the Americans fighting in the battle over the Texas territory are Jim Bowie (Jason Patric) and Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton). The battle goes on for days, and American enforcements are sent for, but the Mexicans manage to scale the walls of the mission-turned-fort before Houston and his troops arrive.
Is it any good?
There is only one reason to see THE ALAMO and it is Billy Bob Thornton. His portrayal of Davy Crockett is magnificently vibrant, fully imagined, and breathtakingly evocative of the essence of the American hero. The battle sequences are well staged, putting the audience in the center of the action. And the movie address racism, with slaves talking about whether they would be better off as Mexicans, and Hispanic Texans explaining why they chose to fight the Mexicans.
Despite all of that, however, the movie just does not work. The narrative is so muddled and the pace so choppy that we never connect with the characters or their cause. It makes the fatal mistake of assuming that it is enough to put American icons on one side and a choleric popinjay of a general who wears a uniform out of a Friml operetta, barks at his subordinates, and preys on young women on the other. It isn't. This is not a fight about religious freedom or taxation without representation or stopping a despotic marauder. It is a fight over who will own the land that wasn't theirs to begin with. And it is hard to cheer for the independence of the "Texians" when we know they're just going to end up part of America anyway.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why it made such a difference when Travis picked up the cannonball. What did Travis mean when he said, "Texas has been a second chance for me. We will sell our lives dearly?" Why didn't Travis and Bowie get along? How did Crockett's understanding of what he represented to his fans affect his decision about how to respond? How did the white and non-white characters see their priorities differently? How does this story relate to current conflicts in Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan?
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AGE
7th Grade and up!
I am shocked at how CS was concerned about the violence in the movie. HELLO...it was a BATTLE and yes, they all died in real life! I don't think we should sugarcoat reality! I am concerned as to whether the person reviewing this for them even knows history! In my opinion, it would be the language that is the problem. Sexual conduct as a problem? Really??? So...I guess Gone With The Wind is also not appropriate due to Belle! I think this is perfect for a junior high or high school class...in order to teach the kids WHY the Alamo is so important in Texas' history...and why they wanted independence. By the way...it clearly shows that Mexicans ALSO wanted independence from Santa Anna. Let's revisit our reviewing policies shall we?
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AGE
An intense war movie, with some good parts but they don't warrant all the other parts of the movie that weren't worth watching. Billy Bob Thornton did a superb job, it's just too bad the rest of the movie didn't match up.
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AGE
anyone who likes learning about warfare
watched this movie in class
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AGE
I looked in awe
Of course there would be violence because it's the Alamo. Doesn't CS know the story? They're supposed to be smarter than us.
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AGE
Amazing movie!!
The Alamo is a great movie to watch on any day of the week. Just 200 men to defend the alamo is truly amazing. Very infrequent profanity and a brief instant of sexual innuendo. The violence is not very graphic to show blood or strong gore. This movie is down out a movie you dont want to miss.
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AGE
A Poorly Directed War Movie Given An Extra Star for Thorton's Performance
THE ALAMO has some very fine moments that are thoroughly enjoyable. However, those moments only amount to a 2-star rating, but I added an extra star for Billy Bob Thorton's performance as Davey Crocket. I'm usually not a fan, but he acts with grace and charisma in a movie that truly doesn't deserve him.
Violence is the biggest issue in the movie. Several intense scenes lead up to big battles, and, though the fighting is no more graphic than, say, GETTYSBURG, the death of all of the heroes is truly disturbing and upsetting. Language consists of some "d**n"s, "a*s"s, and "SOB"s. A man calls another a catamite, brief reference is made to "going to the whores", and it is implied that Santa Anna forces local women to sleep with him (nothing shown).
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AGE
MUST SEE NOW!!!!!!!!!
IT IS AWSOME SO AWSOME I CANT EVEN TYPE HOW COOL IT IS
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AGE
Historically boring!!!!!
The Alamo. A movie that looks like every five minutes we get the living crud beaten out of us. The movie was very great, historically correct. Just try to get scene selection so you don't want to leave like I did. All the heroes die in the two last scenes featuring the alamo. Save your money and make your friend buy it and watch it with them.
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Kid, 11 years old
April 20, 2011
AGE
For 16 and Up.
We watched it today. Very inappropriate. I'm in 4th grade and we watched it. Everybody laughed and screamed when they were making out. Way to much violence in that movie. Please, if you are under 16 do not watch!! If you do want to watch it don't come crying to me.
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| Studio: | Touchstone Pictures |
| Directors: | John Lee Hancock, John Sayles |
| Cast: | Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 135 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 9, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | September 28, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sustained intense battle sequences. |
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