Napoleon reveals the man behind the military genius, and it isn’t what trailers are selling.

Score: 3.5/5

After watching the two-hour and thirty-eight-minute theatrical cut of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, I had difficulty deciding my feelings on the movie. Even after having two days to reflect, I’m still conflicted. This movie is positioned as a war film, and while it has plenty of that, what happens between battles has left me stumped. Napoleon tells the story of the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Joaquin Phoenix, as a military leader and as a lover to Josephine Bonaparte, played by Vanessa Kirby. This relationship reveals a different kind of man than what trailers and general anecdotes would have one believe of Napoleon. The movie shows that his success in battle could not make up for his attitude towards himself, his love, and how others perceived him. His flaws on display in this movie make it feel almost cartoonish that such a man could conquer most of Europe in the early 1800’s.

It’s this tug of war between the war movie Napoleon is positioned as versus the movie it wants to be, a character piece of a deeply flawed man, that sometimes can create a bit of whiplash. It felt almost as if it was two different movies cut together, which, after learning there will be a four-hour director’s cut on Apple TV, has me all the more interested to see which way this balancing act falls to with an extra hour plus runtime. This is a movie where the impressively shot battles feel like mere afterthoughts to Phoenix’s Napoleon whining that his wife or other countries do not love him enough.

Up to this point, it may seem like I disliked this movie, but it is an excellently produced and acted film. The battles are horrifying and grand. Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby bring their usual A-game talent to Napoleon and Josephine. Is this the best performance by Phoenix? No, but it’s still up to his high bar of playing unhinged characters. It was a delight to see Kirby in a more significant role for a movie of this size, even if her character in the end was not given the power I’d hoped to see from the trailers.

I liked this movie. I’m a history buff, so seeing a film of this scale about a man like Napoleon was a treat. It’s gorgeous, with top talent in front of and behind the screen. I just couldn’t get fully behind the cuts and tap dancing between the war movie this was sold as and the relationship period drama it wanted to be. They both work on their own, but together, it’s a little wobbly.

I look forward to seeing what the Director’s Cut brings to the table, and if it makes a substantial difference, I will write a second review covering that version. Until then, I would temper your expectations going into this movie. There is fun to be had, but maybe not what the marketing would have you think.