Film Review - Napoleon (2023)

The newest adaptation of the life of Napoleon Bonaparte has finally arrived, this time from the likes of cinema legends Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix but does it hold well to the reputations of the two? The answer is somewhat messy as Napoleon certainly has its moments of glory, carnage and war however, it can sometimes feel like an unintentional comedy that has no clear plot but simply moving from point A to point B with the only goal to cover as much time as possible without truly developing any character.

Now, it goes without saying that Ridley Scott’s contributions to cinema are undeniable from revolutionising the horror genre with 1979’s ‘Alien’ to a war epic such as ‘Gladiator.’ Scott proves that he knows how to direct a war movie, often depicting the brutality and tensions of war in beautifully shot scenes of battler however, Scott continuously makes the creative decision to rewrite history often making up completely new aspects of Napoleon which may anger some who desire an accurate biopic of Napoleon’s life similar to the likes of the recent hit of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenherimer.’ Scott also makes the baffling decision to make Napoleon sound American which makes absolutely no sense considering that Napoleon was a French emperor. While some may not care about this, one could argue that this may be disrespecting history, Napoleon and as a whole, especially with Ridley Scott’s excuse being that “the French don’t even like themselves.

It comes with no surprise that the movie’s saving grace is Joaquin Phoenix who once again proves that he is one of the most talented men in Hollywood delivering an exceptional and surprisingly comedic performance. Phoenix shows the hypocrisy, tyrant and general in his portrayal delivering a performance that may just bring him an oscar nomination. However, the movie shines through the scene stealer that is Vanessa Kirby as Napoleon’s wife Josephine who plays the only character who you truly care for as she plays a woman bound down by Napoleon and the system of hierarchy at the time. Kirby has a noticeable lack of lines in the movie but she delivers an exceptional performance that rivals that of Joaquin Phoenix. The movie’s strongest points are certainly when these two characters are on screen together, portraying a toxic yet loving relationship that will certainly stay with the viewers for a very long time.

Unfortunately Phoenix and Kirby are bagged down by a movie that doesn’t know whether it wants to be a black comedy, drama or war movie. Not to say that the comedy isn’t funny as Phoenix especially has impeccable comedic timing but does comedy have a place in a movie about someone so important such as Napoleon Bonaparte? Strangely, the movie feels too long and too short at the same time as it tries to cover as much of Napoleon’s life as possible but this results in a movie that does not develop any character other than Napoleon and Josephine. often moving on without acknowledging the previous events of the movie which have been built up for a good chunk of it. All of this creates an experience that leaves the audience disillusioned, dry and craving more while also burning viewers out at the same time.

Overall, While Ridley Scott certainly knows how to make a movie, being a veteran of cinema, Napoleon certainly has entertainment value thanks to its stars; however, it’s dragged down by a series of odd choices and an inability to develop its characters While also disrespecting as a whole by not allowing historical accuracy to take place.