Napoleon movie review – Joaquin Phoenix impresses in this Ridley Scott directorial grand biographical drama

Ridley Scott’s film delves into the 30-year journey of former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Joaquin Pheonix, who remains an enigmatic historical figure to this day. What Napoleon and Hitler have in common is an insane desire for power that blurs the lines of humanity. The Scott film is an overview of the man who played a significant role in the French Revolution.

Napoleon movie details:

Director: Ridley Scott

Run time: 2 hours 38 minutes

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, and Tahar Rahim

Producer: Ridley Scott

IMDB rating: 6.8/10

Release date: 24 November 2023

Where to watch? At the theatres!

Movie review:

In Scott’s biopic, you meet Napoleon Bonaparte as a second-in-command military commander who is aware of his strength in 1789. He is an egoist, power-hungry with a ‘calm-in-the-storm’ demeanour that makes him so lethal. Scott’s biopic of the French military commander and ruler is filled with cinematic moments of well-choreographed battle and war scenes, as well as enough gory scenes to make you cringe. However, it does not make you care about the outcomes because you see Napoleon leading throughout the screenplay, but the purpose, the intent behind those actions, is never clear.

What really makes Napoleon a non-stop watch is how Scott cleverly shifts the gears in the screenplay, smoothly transitioning from Napoleon on the battlefield to Napoleon at home with Josephine. It’s also chaotic, but it gives you a break from the testosterone-infused war imagery. As Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix is outstanding. It’s one of those performances that makes you both cringe and applaud. Vanessa is stunning in every shot. In contrast to other historical dramas, the dialect, impressions, and dubbing do not appear to be off.

The music is captivating and never overpowers the screen. The costumes and period settings are stunning and add to the overall experience of watching the film. Scott succeeds in making Napoleon an entertaining watch, but it lacks the depth to warrant your time and attention. It feels incomplete for some reason, with several gaps in between.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars