The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

55% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings

In 1836, the Mexican army, led by General Santa Anna, is invading Texas. Hoping to create a diversion for Santa Anna's forces, General Sam Houston (Richard Boone) orders Colonel William B. Travis (Laurence Harvey), joined by Colonels Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) and Davy Crockett (John Wayne), to lead a small, heroic band of American and Texican fighters in a resistance battle at the Alamo mission. The carnage at the Alamo further spurs the Republic of Texas toward freedom.

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The Alamo

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Critics Consensus

John Wayne proves to be less compelling behind the camera than he is before it in The Alamo, a blustery dramatization of the fort's last stand that feels more like a first draft.

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Critics Reviews

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The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Interminable. Jan 31, 2012 Full Review The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Variety Staff Variety In spite of the painstaking attempts to explore the characters of the picture's three principal heroes (Bowie, Crockett, Travis), there is an absence of emotional feeling, of a sense of participation. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Tom Milne Time Out An elephantine, historically inaccurate, stridently patriotic tribute to the handful of Texans who faced assault by 7,000 Mexican baddies. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Ian Kane Epoch Times The Duke produced a glorious cinematic reminder of a crucial part of American history. Rated: 4/5 Dec 31, 2023 Full Review The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine The film is sometimes too gabby and too sentimental but is magnificent to look at, and the inexorable climax is awesome in its scope and fury. Nov 5, 2019 Full Review The Alamo | Rotten Tomatoes (6) TV Guide All the pontificating about the joys of freedom becomes irritating, but James Edward Grant's dialogue occasionally crackles with enough humorous wit to hold an audience untill the gripping finale. Rated: 3/4 Jan 31, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blu B I was really torn between a 3.5 or a 4. The final 15 minutes is really good and kind of makes it worth sitting through the other 2 and a half hours. It's really the only part I would say is epic. the cinematography is solid and the pacing because of that ending is good despite it meandering quite a bit. Everything else is half decent about it. Most of the time it forgets to be epic and comes off as bloated with unneeded romance subplots and pointless humor scenes. The music also needed to be more epic as well. A few of the characters do stick out but a lot just blend in. It feels like at times it wants to be a western like Rio Bravo while also being a Epic War movie and has trouble cohesively merging them together. It needed to trim off about 40 minutes of the run time. It would've been better also if it showed the battle and leadup from the Mexican side as well as I don't think we even see Santa Anna for more than afew seconds at the end. If your a big western or fan of any actors in this check this out. It's ALMOST good. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/23 Full Review Alan M Watched this once again after two decades and still found it entertaining and enjoyable, a great cast of western genre legends John Wayne and Richard Widmark ably supported by Laurence Harvey, Linda Cristal, Chill Wills and a cameo from Richard Boone. Great action sequences linked together by the characters interaction which keep the film moving along at a steady pace. Good direction from John Wayne who also produced it. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/28/23 Full Review leokimvideo A classic film that suffers from a bloated script, bloated edit and lack of intimate framing. So much is shot on a vide vista. Has all the hallmarks of a film that needed a separation between the lead star & director Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Kevin B Bit too long but still enjoy watching Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Diogo S REMEMBER THE ALAMOI salut you brave texans!!!Your sacrifice will live forever... Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/27/22 Full Review Audience Member I enjoyed it as an American and less compelling version of Zulu. Essentially the same film with different goodies and baddies but all part of national myth making. Usually no fan of Wayne, I actually found him bearable here for once and the other leads were ok. It works as a retelling of the story even if it lacks a little finesse. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

John Wayne Director John Wayne Col. Davy Crockett Richard Widmark Jim Bowie Laurence Harvey Col. William Travis Richard Boone Gen. Sam Houston Carlos Arruza Lt. Reyes
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The Alamo

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Synopsis In 1836, the Mexican army, led by General Santa Anna, is invading Texas. Hoping to create a diversion for Santa Anna's forces, General Sam Houston (Richard Boone) orders Colonel William B. Travis (Laurence Harvey), joined by Colonels Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) and Davy Crockett (John Wayne), to lead a small, heroic band of American and Texican fighters in a resistance battle at the Alamo mission. The carnage at the Alamo further spurs the Republic of Texas toward freedom.

Director
John Wayne

Producer
John Wayne

Screenwriter
James Edward Grant

Distributor
Critics' Choice Video, United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.

Production Co
Batjac Productions

Genre
History, Drama, War, Western

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 24, 1960, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016

Runtime
3h 12m

Sound Mix
Magnetic Stereo 6 Track

Aspect Ratio
35mm
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