Ridley Scott has directed many fine films with epic storylines, stunning visuals, and engaging characters. For the last decade, he hasn't made a movie that fits these criteria. "Napoleon" has a lot of promise. The film chronicles the great leader from his ambitious rise through the military ranks to his violent role as king, to his downfall AND his volatile relationship with Josephine.
A lot is crammed in two hours and thirty-eight minutes. While never boring, everything feels rushed, especially the third act. Some scenes feel a bit off-putting and rather silly. There are gratuitous sex scenes added for shock value and some ill-placed comedy that detract from what should be a serious bio-pic. Seeing Joaquin Phoenix going "num-num-num" with Vanessa Kirby doesn't fly.
A lot is crammed in two hours and thirty-eight minutes. While never boring, everything feels rushed, especially the third act. Some scenes feel a bit off-putting and rather silly. There are gratuitous sex scenes added for shock value and some ill-placed comedy that detract from what should be a serious bio-pic. Seeing Joaquin Phoenix going "num-num-num" with Vanessa Kirby doesn't fly.
In contrast, the battle sequences are among the movie's highlights. They depict both Napoleon's strategic wit and sheer brutality. The VFX team mostly do a good job, particularly during the Battle of Austerlitz. It's a heck of a scene to witness on the big screen.
The rest of production values are on par with Scott's other films. Production design, costumes, sound, make up & hairstyling, and cinematography are all on their A game. The acting is decent. You really can't go wrong with Joaquin Phoenix. There are moments where you can see he's channeling his inner Commodus from "Gladiator." He plays the titular role as quiet, enigmatic, cold, conniving, manipulative and a bit delusional. We don't really know much more about the man after the film is over and that's okay. Vanessa Kirby is serviceable and bold as Josephine.
Despite having two exceptional actors, stunning visuals, and an intriguing plot, I still left the theater wanting more. More chemistry between the leads. More plot. More cohesiveness overall. The product Apple TV released is a solid effort but not the masterpiece it could have been. As a huge fan of Ridley Scott, this felt like a letdown compared to the rest of his body work. In some ways, it feels like this movie was directed at arms' length and with little passion. Maybe it's his age? Maybe he's just tired? Or maybe it was meddling studios who wanted a 2.5-hour film for this year's Oscars? We saw that same problem with Kingdom of Heaven. His 3.5-hour director's cut for KOH is one of the best movies ever made. He claims to release his 4-hour director's cut of Napoleon on Apple TV at some point. I'll be waiting for it. And I hope it'll be the masterpiece we truly deserve.
*** out of ****
The rest of production values are on par with Scott's other films. Production design, costumes, sound, make up & hairstyling, and cinematography are all on their A game. The acting is decent. You really can't go wrong with Joaquin Phoenix. There are moments where you can see he's channeling his inner Commodus from "Gladiator." He plays the titular role as quiet, enigmatic, cold, conniving, manipulative and a bit delusional. We don't really know much more about the man after the film is over and that's okay. Vanessa Kirby is serviceable and bold as Josephine.
Despite having two exceptional actors, stunning visuals, and an intriguing plot, I still left the theater wanting more. More chemistry between the leads. More plot. More cohesiveness overall. The product Apple TV released is a solid effort but not the masterpiece it could have been. As a huge fan of Ridley Scott, this felt like a letdown compared to the rest of his body work. In some ways, it feels like this movie was directed at arms' length and with little passion. Maybe it's his age? Maybe he's just tired? Or maybe it was meddling studios who wanted a 2.5-hour film for this year's Oscars? We saw that same problem with Kingdom of Heaven. His 3.5-hour director's cut for KOH is one of the best movies ever made. He claims to release his 4-hour director's cut of Napoleon on Apple TV at some point. I'll be waiting for it. And I hope it'll be the masterpiece we truly deserve.
*** out of ****