Napoleon
Ridley Scott returns to the realm of the historical war epic with his quasi-biopic about Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor who would conquer much of Europe during the late 1700s & early 1800s.
Led by an enthralling performance from Joaquin Phoenix the film covers vast swaths of the master tacticians military, political & romantic conquests. In doing so in only 2 hours & 38 minutes Napoleon moves at a rapid pace as it jumps from major historic moment to the next. This simultaneously makes the film captivating but could also just as easily be confusing for those with very limited knowledge of the broader socio-political & military context of the time.
Presenting the film with such kinetic energy rarely gives the viewer a moment to breathe & take in the devastation they've just witnessed or process the political game of chess that is being played. The rare moments of stillness occur when Napoleon attempts to dissect the man behind an insatiable lust for power. Using narration taken directly from Napoleon's real-life letters gives the film a poignant insight into the man & his motivations. It's no wonder the term 'Napoleon Complex' is such a cemented part of the global vernacular now.
Phoenix's performance imbues Napoleon with a viciousness, savagery & merciless tone on the battlefield. In private though Napoleon becomes an awkward, jealous, desperate man. It's a stunning performance overall by Phoenix due to the extreme contrast of these opposing sides of the character.
In saying all of this though the truly spectacular moments of this film are the battle scenes. Despite being presented with such grand scale they still feel raw, intimate, intense, visceral, gruesome & devastating. There isn't a single battle that feels like there wasn't a heavy toll to be paid or a long-lasting burden to be felt.
The final major standout from the film is the astonishingly beautiful costuming throughout. Each and every piece is crafted with such attention to detail that you could spend an entire viewing just taking all of the costumes in.
Napoleon is quite simply an awe-inspiring piece of cinematic art. Yes, it could have used some more time, particularly in the slower moments of the film, but the epic battles are breathtaking. Although the film is coming to AppleTV+ in the near future you're not going to want to wait. Napoleon needs to be taken in on the biggest screen possible for your first experience in order to comprehend its immense scale.
Support Pario Magazine
$2.50 / month
Early Access
subscribe
