As actor Colin Farrell said himself: “For my money, it’s a pretty sad story. It’s not Alexander the Great; it’s Alexander the greatly tormented.” The movie “Alexander” tells the real-life story of a Macedonian conqueror who had defeated most of Asia and India by 327 B.C., but was not a happy man.

Alexander, played by Farrell, is particularly pathetic. He can conquer 90 percent of the known world, but can’t throw off the influence of his mother, creepy snake-loving probably-murderous Queen Olympias (Angelina Jolie). He can inspire his men to battle (eventually) but if they stop seeing things his way, he generally kills them. And despite entirely too many speeches on glory, honor and uniting all people, he fails to explain why it’s a good idea to defeat or annihilate everyone in sight.

The combat scenes aren’t that stirring, though a trip to a Babylonian harem and Alexander’s relationship with his spitfire wife Roxane (Rosario Dawson) are entertaining. He tries to rape her, she tries to kill him … they’re well matched. Left out in the cold is his buddy Hephaestion (Jared Leto): the two men want to be gay lovers, but can’t quite manage it. What they do manage is to be comrades-in-arms who believe in each other, a stirring friendship Farrell tries and fails to achieve with the rest of the army. He does see his men as individuals, such as when he encourages them by name, one of the very few signs he gives of being a great leader. However, he fails to get the troops to fight some incredibly vicious Indian war elephants after the men have lost confidence in him. And he has no capacity to understand that his leadership depends on their confidence. Possibly Farrell was just a bad choice for the role. His Alexander is definitely less than impressive.

Too much of the story is told by mosaic maps, pictograms and the slightly-confused Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). The movie drags. Though the orchestra tries to help, it never succeeds in making the battle scenes look truly grand and glorious, as Farrell would have us believe. Instead, they look like what they are: killing. There is, in fact, a realism to the battle scenes often lost in a combat movie, especially because the main characters actually wear helmets. In most movies they magically avoid missiles to show their intrepid faces for the cameras.

The young Alexander cannot abide that Persians rule most of the world, and after his father Philip fails to defeat the Persians, Alexander takes up Daddy’s work. Convinced that Persian culture is cruel and amounts to virtual slavery for all, Alexander decides he is really liberating the poor “barbarians.” Though his expedition has slaves as well. Alexander goes on conquering long after there is any profit for Macedonia, or any support from Macedonians for the war effort. Indeed, he seems to be fighting for the sake of fighting. Perhaps director Oliver Stone was making a commentary on the war in Iraq, both on the futility of the exercise and on the wish to finish Daddy’s work.

Absolute power hurts Alexander badly. He has great difficulty getting what he wants, Hephaestion included, and no matter how many people he kills, he isn’t really happy. The movie isn’t that entertaining, but if there is any reason to see it, it is the powerful message on the futility of war.

“Alexander”

Rated R for violence and some sexuality/nudity

Starring: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson, Jared Leto, Anthony Hopkins

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Length: Two hours 56 minutes

Now playing at: Astoria Gateway Cinemas

Short take: The true story of Alexander the Great, a Macedonian who conquered the then-ascendant Persia and much of Asia and India: battles, drinking with the boys and a lot of angst.

Rating: One and a half stars (out of four)

Movie trivia: What was historical adviser and Oxford University professor Robin Lane Fox’s fee for giving advice on the film?

Answer: Fox doesn’t get an on-screen credit. His price for giving his advice was to be allowed to take a place as a Macedonian cavalry officer at the head of what is one of the largest cavalry charges ever filmed.