Napoleon might deliver some great lead performances, but the rest of it is kind of a mess. It struggles to tell history in an accurate and intriguing way.
When it comes to historical biographic films, liberties are almost always taken. In the case of Napoleon, it somehow both flies through the events of his life while also dragging on and on. When viewers that don’t know all the details of his ruling and exiles, they should not have to take to the internet to fill in the gaps after the movie wraps. However, with Napoleon, this writer, is not a history buff but knew some things, had to do just that in order to fully understand the life this man lived.
This movie covers the majority of Napoleon’s later life, including his marriages, battles he fought in, and death. While there is enough action sprinkled throughout the film to try to keep things interesting, the visual effects (especially when it comes to injuries) don’t look all that great. In particular, the early scene with his horse is done very poorly, looking fake and awkward.
Joaquin Phoenix does what he can with the script, and every so often he delivers a great line, but the majority of the dialogue is weak and even laughable at times. The same goes for Vanessa Kirby. These two try as hard as they can, but the writing and editing fail them. They are never allowed to shine in their roles as Napoleon and his wife Josephine. There is ever any real chemistry between the two, which causes the story to lose any emotion that audiences are supposed to feel.
Several times we are shown Napoleon napping on the job, and we can’t help but wonder if that is because he was trying to slug through this film as well, and couldn’t keep his eyes open. Even those who are not well versed in history know that Napoleon was a tactical military genius, something this film rips away from him. At times, he is depicted as a fool, who just happened to get lucky during some battles. That isn’t at all the case of the true man, and it makes it painful to watch.
It isn’t all bad as some of the battles are well shot. They are spaced apart enough to try to keep the pacing moving and interest peaked. The issue is that all of the stuff in between not only drags, but feels as if it is jumping past key parts of the story. Because of this, the story feels all over the place and becomes hard to follow.
Overall, Napoleon is mediocre at best. It is slow and boring while simultaneously moving way too fast. The lead actors do what they can with what they are given, but the dialogue and editing distract from their performances. In the end, it is just fine, and nothing spectacular or interesting.
Instead of rushing out to theaters to see Napoleon, find a documentary or History channel special. Chances are you will not only learn more, you will be more entertained.
Rating: 2 out of 5
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About Napoleon
Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar®-winner Joaquin Phoenix.
Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.
