“Napoleon” is an epic historical drama from producer-director Ridley Scott (“Alien” 1979), whose subject is the life of famous French leader Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Scott and screenwriter David Scarpa have created a biography that is heavy on battle scenes and on Bonaparte’s sex life and light on character development. There are complaints of historical inaccuracies, especially from French sources, too numerous to go over in this space, and very little on his governing abilities or insights into his personality.
The star of the show is Joaquin Phoenix; his performance in the title role is sluggish and labored. We do not know very much more about Napoleon at the end of the nearly two-and-a-half hours than we did at the beginning of the movie. The co-stars include Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Matthew Needham, John Hollingworth, Sinead Cusack, Phil Cornwell, Paul Rhys, and Ian McNeice as King Louis XVIII of France.
Considering the huge $200 million budget, and the subsequent advertising expenses, this film would have to make at least $500 million to break even. “Napoleon” has not come close to that amount at the box office, no doubt a disappointment for producers Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix, Scott Free Productions, Apple Studios, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures Releasing. The film may make more income through streaming on Apple TV+.
Napoleon (2023)
cinema
My Review
“Napoleon” is an epic historical drama from producer-director Ridley Scott (“Alien” 1979), whose subject is the life of famous French leader Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Scott and screenwriter David Scarpa have created a biography that is heavy on battle scenes and on Bonaparte’s sex life and light on character development. There are complaints of historical inaccuracies, especially from French sources, too numerous to go over in this space, and very little on his governing abilities or insights into his personality.
The star of the show is Joaquin Phoenix; his performance in the title role is sluggish and labored. We do not know very much more about Napoleon at the end of the nearly two-and-a-half hours than we did at the beginning of the movie. The co-stars include Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Matthew Needham, John Hollingworth, Sinead Cusack, Phil Cornwell, Paul Rhys, and Ian McNeice as King Louis XVIII of France.
Considering the huge $200 million budget, and the subsequent advertising expenses, this film would have to make at least $500 million to break even. “Napoleon” has not come close to that amount at the box office, no doubt a disappointment for producers Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix, Scott Free Productions, Apple Studios, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures Releasing. The film may make more income through streaming on Apple TV+.