Napoleon movie review: Joaquin Phoenix shines as magnificent French emperor in Ridley Scott’s larger-than-life biopic

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Matthew Needham and others

Director: Ridley Scott

Language: English

‘France….Army….Josephine’ were the last words of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte showing in Ridley Scott’s larger-than-life historical biopic based on the life of the military commander, who rose to prominence during the French Revolution.

In 1789, Napoleon (Joaquin Phoenix) is introduced as a gunnery officer in the middle of a revolution, who wants to be seen himself as more than a Corsican brute or a thug. At the 1793 Siege of Toulon, his status rises to another level when he hatches a bold gambit that leads to a heavy blow to the British.

At a party, Napoleon stares and meets Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), a former aristocrat and widowed mother, who had just been freed from prison after the Reign of Terror. The relationship between the duo grows and we see the journey of the military commander ultimately becoming the emperor.

However, he is also a jealous man or can be termed as a jealous child, when it comes to his wife Josephine. Napoleon’s many letters go unanswered by Josephine when he is marching towards Egypt and later he comes to know that his wife has taken a lover. After realizing that his wife is cheating on him, he goes back home deserting his troops.

When Napoleon confronts Josephine about her infidelity, he orders her to say, “I am nothing without you.” However, we see a solid turnaround when Josephine tells him to do the same thing.

While the battle scenes are a treat to watch, the scenes between Napoleon and Josephine are more intriguing. During dinner when she calls him ‘fat’, he replies her saying, “I enjoy my meals. Destiny has brought me this lamb chop.”

The volatile or rather toxic relationship between Napoleon and Josephine grabs the maximum time in the screenplay where their love story turns sad as the emperor leaves her as she is unable to give the country an heir to the throne.

The action set pieces, which flaunt the strategies of Napoleon as an emperor show the excellence of filmmaker Ridley Scott, who at 85 continues to bring out his best not only with the fine detailing of the narrative showing the rise and downfall of the emperor but also bringing in the complexities of the characters with panache and finesse.

Talking about the performances, Phoenix owns the character of Napoleon and once again delivers an impeccable act. Right from his wit to emotional moments, the actor shines in each and every frame. On the other hand, Vanessa Kirby steals the show as Josephine. Her nuanced portrayal will go as one of the best performances in her career.

Napoleon is definitely not a flawless film but a historical epic, which should be watched on the big screen for its cinematic experience.

Rating: 3.5 (out of 5 stars)

Napoleon is playing in cinemas

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