‘Napoleon’: Review

Dir: Ridley Scott. US. 2023. 157mins

Neither hero nor cautionary tale, the Napoleon Bonaparte presented in Ridley Scott’s engrossing drama is simply a force of nature — immutable, arrogant, terminally unsatisfied. Highlighted by Joaquin Phoenix’s thorny portrayal, which amplifies the man’s sizable flaws, this intriguingly measured biopic views its protagonist’s quest for power and his inability to capture the heart of his beloved Josphine (Vanessa Kirby) as symptoms of a fragile ego that no military victory could cure.

A lavish, thoughtful drama that remains entranced and bemused by France’s notorious emperor 

Napoleon features exceptional battle scenes as well as tart back-and-forths between these romantic combatants, resulting in a lavish, thoughtful drama that remains entranced and bemused by France’s notorious emperor — a brilliant strategic mind who could not have been more insecure. Set for release in the UK and US on November 22, Napoleon is the sort of prestige epic that might court awards voters, both because of Phoenix’s performance and the stellar technical work. Phoenix and Kirby will help bring in adult viewers, but the subject matter may be as enticing — after all, Napoleon has been a fascination with filmmakers and audiences alike since Abel Gance’s ballyhooed 1927 silent picture.  

The new film spans about 20 years, from the 1790s to the 1810s, following Napoleon (Phoenix) as he seeks to make his name, having been viewed early in his life as just an unsophisticated nobody from Corsica. But even though he lacks social graces, his cunning on the battlefield soon earns him the admiration of his superiors. At the same time, he becomes enamoured with Josephine, a widow who quickly deduces that he can help her social standing, even if he is not the most charming or dashing of individuals. After a successful coup thrusts Napoleon into power, he plots to vanquish France’s neighbours in his pursuit of controlling Europe.

Reuniting with All the Money In The World screenwriter David Scarpa, Scott resists glorifying Napoleon, instead viewing him as a curious figure whose indomitable ambition drove his every action. Phoenix, who earned an Oscar nomination for Scott’s Gladiator, cannily conceals his character’s inner world — indeed, this is someone who is fearful of exposing anything of himself, lest he be perceived as weak. Whether courting Josephine or rattling sabres with his enemies, Napoleon refuses to surrender, confident that all will eventually fall before him. Napoleon casts no judgement on his self-centeredness, pettiness and pride, accepting that he will not stop until he possesses everything he desires.

Kirby plays an instrumental role, her Josephine the one person who slices through Napoleon’s bullying demeanour. Just as strong-willed as her future husband, Josephine teases, mocks and stands firm, holding over Napoleon the fact that he is so bewitched by her that he will ultimately yield to her demands. This is not a pat romance in which one character teaches the other how to be a better person — rather, it is a delightful battle of equals, with Napoleon often undone by his jealousy and vulnerability, making tactical errors around Josephine he would never permit on the battlefield. Napoleon is especially strong as Napoleon and Josephine’s relationship deepens over the years, a kinship based on finding someone who is as ferociously single-minded as themselves.

Arthur Max’s production design and Janty Yates and Dave Crossman’s costumes are suitably sumptuous, and the effects work is impressively rendered, with digital trickery enhancing practical effects. Scott takes the viewer inside some of Napoleon’s legendary battles, with an eye toward illustrating the strategies behind these violent clashes. Famously short of stature, Napoleon is a giant in these moments, Phoenix communicating this glowering man’s immense pleasure at outsmarting his enemies. We understand that it is not simply about winning for Napoleon — he wants to humiliate those with whom he goes to war, the wounds of being belittled in his youth never healing. Rarely are battle scenes so insightful in terms of revealing character as they are here; particularly his famous triumph at Austerlitz, which is extraordinary both in how it is staged and how it communicates Napoleon’s genius.

Anyone familiar with the doomed emperor’s story will know that Napoleon is heading towards an unhappy ending but, even as it reaches its final reels, Scott and his star continue to hold their subject at arm’s length, never asking the audience to sympathise with or scorn him. A striking resignation permeates Napoleon — an understanding that, like his love affair with Josephine, there was something unrequited about this man, something forever out of his reach that he longed to seize. Phoenix conveys that dissatisfaction in his melancholy eyes and with every pursed smile. Napoleon sought to conquer the world, but he never could tame the restless despair inside himself.