Stanisland Magazine

Joaquin Phoenix fails in Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ despite a visual spectacle filled with full-scale battle scenes.

VERDICT:

Ridley Scott’s latest movie, “Napoleon” (2023), ambitiously takes on the task of portraying the life of one of history’s most prominent figures, Napoleon Bonaparte.

The film follows his rise from Brigadier General to Emperor, a tense journey filled with political and military exploits. Portraying the man in question is Joaquin Phoenix, whose depiction, unfortunately, falls short of expectations.

Phoenix, an actor known for his intense and often transformative performances, delivers a surprisingly mediocre interpretation of the French ruler. His performance lacks depth and fails to capture the complexity of France’s most well-known character.

The film is sloppy, hindered by a jarring mix of American and British accents, which detracts from the authenticity of the setting and story. This aspect is particularly disappointing, considering the film’s historical context. The lack of consistency in accents serves as a constant reminder that we are watching actors on a set, rather than being transported to the early 19th-century France.

However, this movie wins for its visuals. Ridley Scott, renowned for his epic films like “Blade Runner” and “Alien,” brings his expertise to the table in the battle scenes and pageantry. The film eschews an over-reliance on CGI, opting instead for full-scale battle reenactments that are both exhilarating and impressively realistic, capturing the chaos and grandeur of Napoleonic warfare with remarkable clarity.

Final thoughts

While “Napoleon” is worthy of the big screen, it ultimately falls short in its ideas of its central character. Phoenix’s lacklustre performance combined with a hodge podge of accents undermines the film’s potential.

It’s a movie worth watching for its large scale battle scenes and costume design, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression or inspire much discussion beyond a first watch. It is an example of a film where style triumphs over substance, delivering loud, but missing the mark in capturing the essence of one of history’s interesting figures.