Ridley Scott’s long-awaited Napoleon opened in theaters on Nov. 22 and was met with split reviews. The movie sports an impressive 157-minute runtime as it attempts to capture the life of the famed French general and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Highlighted with stellar performances from Joaquin Pheonix as Napoleon and Vanessa Kirby as his wife Josphine, the movie focuses intently on their complicated and tumultuous relationship.
The long-awaited film opens with French Queen Marie Antionette being executed by revolutionaries in the streets of Paris as a young Napoleon stoically watches the scene unfold in front of him. The movie then moves quickly as Napoleon gains victory after victory in battle and is intercut with scenes that give further light into his marriage with Josephine. His marriage becomes a spectacle to the public as his fame as France’s General skyrockets. The film explores the couple’s infidelity, infertility and ultimately their true love for one another. As year after year of their relationship evolves, it becomes more complicated until finally the two must make a decision beyond just themselves. Napoleon’s campaigns, are equally as important and take up much of the film, but hardly feel as the main force of the plot until the end.
Upon release, concerns around the films historical accurateness rose, however the film attempts to capture the life of one of the most accomplished and complicated men in history. Naturally not every moment from his life will make it on screen, but the ones that do give deep insight into the mind of the French Emperor. With slight tweaks to certain moments, the film retains the majority of the real history behind the man. These moments are only noticeable to history buffs and historians, and one who has limited to no knowledge about the man can easily enjoy the film.
The battle scenes in the film highlight the spectacularly brutal nature of war at the time, but also Napoleon’s genius as a leader. Using great cinematography to properly show the grand nature of war at the time, audiences will have plenty of memorable scenes where tens of thousands of men clash against each other in battle. These scenes serve as a quick reminder that Napoleon’s men not only served him but were more than willing to brave the harsh battlefield in his name.
Pheonix offers a complicated take on the famed Emperor. With his only true emotions coming out during scenes with his wife. His grim and stoic demeanor during battle, command the screen and only help in wondering what the real Napoleon was truly thinking in these moments. With the focal point of the movie being centered around Napoleon’s relationship, Kirby offers a deep take on Josephine and the hold she has over Napoleon. Kirby’s performance gives true depth and personality to a character whose name has been lost in the tomes of history. Her intense nature and deep emotion add layers to the character who sat frequently at the front of Napoleon’s mind.
Overall, the film is strong. It is not Ridley’s best, but it is far from his worst. The movie, while three hours long, is a bit fast paced as it attempts to cover 20 years of historical events. The battle scenes are very intense and those who don’t love blood and gore should avoid many parts of the film. It was very fresh to see a film that was not hyper focused on the self-titled Napoleon-complex of a short man (He was actually average height for the time), but instead offers up Napoleon’s place in the public eye and his tumultuous relationship as complicating factors that lead to his intense ambition. The cinematography is masterful and encapsulates many beautiful shots of sweeping battlefields and the amazing nature of French architecture. Minor characters appear many times throughout the film, but never command the screen like Pheonix or Kirby, and their names are quickly forgotten while still having important roles in the plot. The film is one of Pheonix’s and Kirby’s best and their takes on the characters are complicated and pleasing to watch.
Jack DeWitt can be reached at [email protected]