My partner’s son is an enormous Napoleon fan, having studied everything about the French leader. When asked what he thought about the film, he replied: “It’s weird!” I suppose that’s one way of looking at it. When asked if he could expand, he began listing all the inaccurate things about the history. We know this isn’t a play-by-play examination of the man’s past, as historians have already attacked Ridley Scott’s movie, for the director to reply: “Were you there? Then f*** off!” I guess it must be weird for lovers of this period of history. Still, for us who have no knowledge, this is a big, brutal epic which follows the ego of a man who wanted more power than anyone could handle and the woman who was the only one who could control him.

From commander to Emporer, Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to the greatest was only achieved by his pure hunger to be a leader. His hunger for power was achieved by his passion for Josephine, the woman who was the only one who could control him, although his relationship was one burdened by his longing for a son. At the same time, France was worried about Napoleon’s approach to war, so he took on countries to prove his greatness, including Britain and the ill-fated Battle of Waterloo.

If anyone will deliver an all-out visual spectacle about the French leader, then Scott is your man. After the likes of Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven, this film captures the essence of old Hollywood with its vast use of extras and making the battles as cinematic as possible. The set piece in which Napoleon’s enemies find themselves crossing a frozen river is breathtaking as it is horrific. Each of the battles is grimy, disturbing, and brutal. Scott leaves nothing to the imagination as limbs explode, heads are chopped off, and even a horse is killed by a cannonball to very bloody effect.

The issues arise in political moments where there is a power struggle. Most of this gets confused as we jump from one set piece to another episodically. Trying to cram the life of such a giant in history into a 2 and a half hour movie just seems impossible (although a 4-hour director’s cut will be available when it reaches Apple TV+ next year). Yet you still have to applaud Scott for doing something Stanley Kubrick failed to do. Kubrick has longed to create a movie about the Emperor but struggled for six years to get close to making it. If the film does have issues with the quiet moments, then in a way, it can be forgiven.

Yet this seems more interested in the relationship between Napoleon and the woman he loved more than anything, Josephine. These two people came from different worlds. He was hungry for power and could be incredibly child-like, while she was a strong, commanding woman who used her sexuality to almost be a puppeteer in his life. The only thing that she could deliver was a son. Even when they divorced, she still had control over him, and he needed her more than she needed him. Scott manages to show a very strained pairing, where Napoleon makes child-like noises whenever he wants to bed Josephine, and then awkward, almost animalistic lovemaking that is neither loving nor really shared.

Whatever you think about the events and whether they are correct in their depiction or what you feel about the awkwardness of the relationship, there is so much to admire in this film. Yet, there are often moments when it drags, and the complexities of the plot are lost among the complexity of the politics.

From a performance point-of-view, this is a winner. Rupert Everett seems to have the time of his life as Wellington, although he only has a far-too-brief appearance. At the same time, the other supporting cast are perfect for their assorted roles. As Josephine, Vanessa Kirby excels. She commands each scene she appears and shows a woman who isn’t afraid to be a woman while refusing to bow down to a man: she has the power. In one scene, she delivers a line that most would find hard to say without sniggering, but in Kirby’s hands, she makes you shudder. It is a powerhouse of a performance that proves she is an actress to watch.

Joaquin Phoenix loves a role to get his teeth into, and while Napoleon is both complex and simplistic, it’s hard for even Phoenix to grapple with him, and he often comes across as a temperamental teenager. It is sometimes hard to see the man in charge of these vast armies and those who whine and whimper when he doesn’t get his way with Josephine. It’s not a terrible performance but a confused one, and you don’t know if you should hate or mother him.

Napoleon is a flawed epic and will annoy those who like the historical period. As a piece of cinema, it must be enjoyed on the largest screen possible to be in awe at the battle scenes. It’s not as jaw-dropping as Gladiator, but definitely one of Scott’s better efforts.

4 out of 5

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Joaquin Pheonix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Mark Bonnar, Paul Rhys, Ben Miles, Riana Duce, Ludivine Sagnier

Written by: David Scarpa

Running Time: 148 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 29th November 2023