Napoleon is a polarizing film. It has many issues, from historical inaccuracy to poor editing, but at the end of the day, it’s still a fun and engaging watch. 2023 has been filled with fantastic films from legendary directors: Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, David Fincher’s The Killer, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, and now Ridley Scott’s Napoleon. Napoleon is a historical epic about its namesake, the great French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix). The film discusses his personal and professional life but mainly focuses on his relationship with his lover, Josephine Bonaparte (Vanessa Kirby), and his legendary battles, both victories and losses.
A film centered around the French general has long been rumored to be in the works. Stanley Kubrick’s name was famously attached to the project in the 90s, and Steven Spielberg’s name has been mentioned concerning the project as well. Still, nothing was official until Scott announced that he would make the film in 2021. Napoleon premiered to a primarily mixed reaction from the public. Some argue against the film’s historical accuracy, whereas others criticize Phoenix’s performance as the leading man.
The cinematography and sound design are outstanding, and the script is excellent. Kirby delivers a show-stopping performance, but Phoenix’s performance is mediocre at best. It can be hard to understand whenever he has an extended dialogue scene or a monologue, and it sounds like he is just mumbling his way through the script. What’s even more confusing about his performance is that Phoenix is an incredible actor. He has previously delivered outstanding performances in Joker, Her, and Gladiator, but he misses the mark in this film.
This film answers the mystery of why it has taken so long for there to be a Napoleon modern blockbuster: there is simply too much to cover. The film uses abrupt cuts between passionate and genuine scenes with Napoleon and Josephine and large-scale military scenes that make the film feel like a tonal mess. The film could’ve done a better job of focusing on Napoleon’s life from the point of view of Josephine in the style of Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla because trying to juggle both sides of his life creates a confusing and convoluted film. Both parts of the film could have succeeded independently; together, it doesn’t completely stick the landing.
Napoleon is a mixed bag of a film, with some downright jaw-dropping battle sequences and some beautiful, intimate scenes, but also some horrible editing and dodgy acting. In the end, the film is an exciting watch but leaves the viewer with mixed emotions about the overall quality of the film.
