Napoleon is a beautiful, non-historical work of art.
Napoleon directed by legendary director Ridley Scott, is a retelling of Napoleon’s rise to power. The film covers major events such as battles Napoleon led and his relationship with his wife. The battle scenes are absolutely stunning visuals, you can actually feel the impact of fired cannons. At the heart of the movie however, is the troubled marriage between Napoleon and Josephine.
The amount of time spent on Napoleon and Josephine’s relationship took up a surprising amount of the film’s runtime. Their dynamic is very interesting to watch as it gives insight into Napoleon as a character. When Josephine had an affair I expected Napoleon to divorce her, but instead they stayed married; it shows that Napoleon was dependent on the women in his life. While their scenes together might now be as interesting as violent battles, they tell the audience who Napoleon as a person is.
The film has received some backlash for certain liberties it takes. Scott in an interview told those who complain about the stretches in truth to “get a life”. A major scene that was criticized for not actually happening is when the French army shoots their cannons at the Great Pyramids. Scott has said that this was a quick way to show that Napoleon had conquered Egypt. While his statement is true, it sort of feels lazy to make a historical film without much accuracy.
Joaquin Phoenix does a spectacular job in bringing Napoleon to the big screen. He gives the character such a unique presence that was quite funny at times. The film’s take on Napoleon makes him out to be a socially awkward little man, which Phoenix plays perfectly. One issue I have with this casting however, is his age. Phoenix is 14 years older than the actress who plays Josephine, in reality though Josephine was 6 years older than Napoleon.
Napoleon is a masterclass in film making, with beautiful shots of war to deep somber moments of love and betrayal. Phoenix brings Napoleon to life, really embodying the little man syndrome. The numerous historical inaccuracies are very disappointing however, this movie at times feels more like fiction than reality.
