Napoleon (2023) Movie Review

[@applecrow8]

Watching the trailers, I knew I would be dissapointed when it didn't end with Joaquin in a mental hospital only thinking he was Napoleon.

[@brianmsahin]

😂😂 Love it.

[@citizeng7959]

You made me think of that old Bugs Bunny cartoon: "But I AM Napoleon!!!" Too funny.

[@bruh_hahaha]

Alien, The Martian and Gladiator are all in my Top 10 most rewatched films. All of Ridley Scott’s films have been wildly entertaining even his lesser efforts. 🍿

[@dthought5673]

Chris you hit on all of my concerns with this film. I’m a huge Scott fan but this looks/feels (from the previews) like a short-sided attempt. Thanks for your honesty. The Last Duel is one of my favorites from Scott. Keep up the awesome great reviews. 🛋 🛋

[@thomasbdl]

Do you think the 4-hour cut that will be on Apple TV+ is bound to be a much better version of this film? From everything I’ve read, it feels like a lot of character development was cut in order to stay under the 3-hour mark. This is a really tricky situation. These sprawling epics basically have to be cut down for them to have a modicum of success at the box office, because no one’s gonna go and watch a 4-hour movie in the theater. Especially with people’s attention span these days. And you can’t really turn this into a show because of the insane budget required. And shows, in and of themselves, don’t make money.

[@decimustv4257]

YES you are right. I don't understand why the video creator hearted every other comment except yours since yours is the best one.

[@Johnston212]

A better version of this film? Potentially. A better film? No

[@sableempire9654]

Definitely in 2 minds about seeing this one…sounds like Scott is obsessed with showcasing his actors instead of historical insight.

[@janechoy2073]

You answered a few of my most basic questions about this movie, and I will wait for the Apple version. Thanks for saving me some time and money!

[@rubyrubear]

Quite glad you too think Phoenix was miscast. Not only does he not physically resemble Napoleon at ALL (Taron Egerton who is a brilliant actor would have been perfect 🙄) But also Phoenix was not channelling Napoleon well. He is a great actor alright but not as this historical, almost mythical persona that is Napoleon.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate your reviews. Keep up the good work.

[@Johnston212]

The most interesting thing about the epic battles is when you realize that the actual epic battle is so much bigger in scope.

[@Nostromo2144]

Alien, Blade Runner or possibly Gladiator. Hannibal was awesome too.

[@BookMaven9]

Hannibal?

[@Nostromo2144]

@@BookMaven9 yeah he directed the sequel to Silence. I liked it, not as good as the original obviously, but pretty good imo.

[@RidleyScottOwnsFailedDictators]

Ridley Scott is a genius, tell you why...Because if you actually study Napoleon, the story with the facts of disgrace, defeat and disaster and the narrative glory and triumph does not make any sense, and neither does the story of this movie.

[@BD-yd5dl]

Yeah, I just saw this. I think if Scott wanted to make a more compelling, emotional movie, he would have had to narrow down the timeline and pick a pivotal time and dive more in Napolean's motivations and character.

[@willburnham]

Napoleon as told through TicTok videos. The movie is gorgeous, but I don’t pay good money to just see gorgeous. I want a solid cohesive narrative, character development, and to feel an attachment to the characters and events. I never felt any of it. The battle scenes were exciting, but are very short. It needed a lot less Josephine. It would have been good to know who the other people were. Everyone was simply set dressing. My rating from dumpster fire (1) to Golden Ticket (5) is Hot Mess (2).

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

I love that comparison of the story told through TikTok videos!!

[@citizeng7959]

Very good review. My favourite Scott film is Gladiator. Scott was criticized for some historical innacuracies in that film as well, including a totally fictional town in north Africa, but many of the perceived inaccuracies around characters such as Commodus, could be easily overlooked and did not take away from the film at all. The main character, Maximus, was himself fictional (though he and others may have been inspried by real people) so one could forgive Gladiator for being essentialy historical fiction, rather than historical drama. However, Napoleon was a real person for whom we have a great deal of historical documentation. Now, everyone has many sides to their personality, but the one main criticism of the characterization of Napoleon in this film is that it's just wrong. Rather than interpolating perhaps lesser known facets of a historical personage's personality, what Scott did was more akin to character assassination based on nothing but the whims of the screenwriter, director and actor, and contrary to commone sense. One can understand the charge that Scott engaged in anti-French propaganda in this film, even though Napolean was actually Italian. The portrayal of Napleon is just wrong and therefore, unlike a bit of creative license for dramatic effect in Gladiator, what Scott did here is simply inexcusable.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

Belfast on Netflix is another good historical drama

[@mohamedhatem301]

Excellent review as usual 👏🏻👏🏻 I will definitely see it in theaters but I am more excited for the 4 hour cut which will definitely make more sense (story wise) than the theatrical version. Shout out from Egypt 👋🏻

[@_BhagavadGita]

This was the drunk history version of Napoleon.

[@brianmsahin]

Thanks for the great review Chris. On balance I'm certainly looking forward to seeing this movie. It looks interesting and I do like Joachim Phoenix so I can forgive the miscasting and even the time line issues! To be honest, having just watched (well half of it before we left) the terrible disaster that was The Marvels, anything else will look good compared to it. 😊

[@denroy3]

I hate Phoenix, he's weird and it's all he does...he plays weird.

[@Heavy_Metal_Cyclist]

You need to watch BELIEVER 2 (the first one too). Sequel has more action and blood but i recommend to watch both!

[@naugahydeboneproject8892]

The Martian? You probably liked the departed

[@RandallvanOosten-ln5wf]

The PBS 4-part documentary is far superior to Scott's movie. It is far more colorful, majestic, and commanding in every way. The movie is drab, dark and dank. The actual era was stunningly colorful with uniforms that were artistic masterpieces. The music of the PBS production is epic and true to the era. Napoleon in the movie is a self-doubting neurotic while the PBS series emphasizes his massive energy and electric personality. The depressed Joaquin Phoenix character could not inspire a handful of people compared to the real Napoleon who electrified multiplied thousands of soldiers.

[@AussieRoos]

Haven’t been this disappointed in a movie since the Phantom Menace 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@draven123100]

I booked mt ticket weeks ago. At my local indie cinema it's only £4:50 on a Monday so a bargain.

[@Agent00KK]

I really appreciate an accurate accent, but I'll give this one a watch anyway

[@celruwethin2712]

Gladiator for sure

[@LiangHuBBB]

ye Im gonna check out the 4 h vers

[@tdog5035]

In other words every Scott film (with very few exceptions) from the last 20 years. Looks great but otherwise hollow and badly written. I get he doesn't write them but maybe he needs someone to help sort the scripts before filming starts.

[@bsaneil]

The battles were neither epic or spot on. Musket era battles did NOT involve both sides running towards each other and clashing in a melee like vikings. They manoevred and counter manouvred so as to get their line infantry and artillery to inflict as many casualties as possible, while sustaining as few casualties as possible, using cavalry to cover their flanks and to neutralise enemy artillery. This was the stuff Napoleon was expert at and we saw none of it. Aside from Toulon and a couple of the Peninsula campaign battles (never mentioned), battles in this era were not fought in the dark or at dusk, trench warfare was not used, riflemen did not have telescopic sights and Napoleon did not set up his HQ tent within musket range of the British line. I agree that JP's portrayal was bad. He delivered his lines like he was reading the news.

[@sylmartel785]

Great review !

[@pallecla]

Hopefully the 4-hour cut will improve the lacking story.🤞

[@passm3theaux]

well said

[@chengzi6416]

Just watched it, all I gotta say is to not be in a historical geek mind going in. Cause you'll be extremely hurt. I was still hurt, even though I told myself while going in that Ridely Scott just does not care. Idk about others, but about Napoleon, I just don't think it is a theme to point a complete side-eye to history records.

[@Paulmatthew22]

It was a train wreck considering what it Should have been 😢

[@Paulmatthew22]

Thanks for the mature review 😁

[@decimustv4257]

He is too old as Napoleon as his age is only 2 years younger than when Napoleon died.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

I hated this movie but I am curious how the 4 hour cut will be. I just don’t get what this movie was going for . It felt like a Napoleon movie made by someone who hates Napoleon lol. I’m not saying they had to make him perfect but god damn .

[@verg1l9]

Yeah, sure, Napoleon definitely wasn't any huge success. He only came from a very minor noble house that wasn't even french, spent most of his teenage years surviving on a single meal a day while the rest of his meagre allowance was spent on books, rose up the ranks on his own merit to become the go to general in the french army and one who actually cared about how his soldiers were treated. He brought those soldiers up from rabble who wore rags instead of shoes to become the premiere fighting force in the world. After stomping on the great powers of Europe he used his political savvy to make himself into the sole leader of France and brought on reforms in all areas of life, law and politics that affect the world to this day. The Napoleonic Code is still at the core of legal systems in places as far removed from France as Japan. And this is all before he even became Emperor. So let's just say there's good reason why Napoleon is the 2nd most written about person in history after Jesus and good reason why some historians argue that he should be referred to as Napoleon the Great. I get that not everyone actually cares about the history behind the film but at least do some research if you're actually going to reference said history.

[@RidleyScottOwnsFailedDictators]

You forgot the part of Napoleon ending in total defeat with the most pathetic of military results. Nothing more than a thug who seized a juggernaut military from a lost and confused European nation, waging total war on Europe, ending in total defeat at the cost of millions of lives.

[@bsaneil]

@@RidleyScottOwnsFailedDictators Read the history. Most of the wars Napoleon fought were waged on him by established monarchies who hated his revolutionary policies.

[@LeoTheShortGuy]

Nice. I shall watch it.

[@drichards4426]

Napoleon: * rises to become an emperor of a country he wasn’t even born in. Creates an empire that spans from Egypt to Spain to Moscow * Reviewer: “now I know Napoleon wasn’t very successful… ”

[@Thunderworks]

Bullshit. Corsica was part of France when he was born. Napoleon is born French, in Corsica region of France.

[@pankajverma2856]

Please review Bollywood movie Animal

[@themtgdude486]

I thought it was great.

[@rightchordleadership]

Scott is a hack. Got lucky with a handful of films 40 years ago.

[@9vaishnav]

Can you do Leo the animated movie

[@m.a.b.devos-elsenaar7964]

European history stolen with American money. A total lack of taste and historical tradition. Bad acting and simple dialogues. The huge battle scenes are nice and you see a lot of money wentt into it but it is a lousy film.