Apple Studios
Scott Free Productions
Not part of a collection.
Napoleon
He came from nothing. He conquered everything.
An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.
- Original title
- Napoleon
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- $165,000,000
- Revenue
- $222,435,664
Brent Marchant
Mar 9, 2024 · via TMDB
When it comes to making what’s touted as being a grand, sweeping epic, a filmmaker had better have his or her ducks in a row before beginning. Unfortunately, in the case of director Ridley Scott’s latest, that’s only half true. This account of power-hungry 18th Century French emperor/dictator Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) does a fine job of getting the picture’s technical aspects down pat, with its excellent production design, costuming, makeup, cinematography and visual effects (especially in the well-orchestrated battle sequences, even if they border on the gratuitous at times). However, the film sorely misses the mark on virtually everything else. The biggest problem here is its poorly composed script, which provides almost no back story about the European politics of the day (both inside and outside of France), leaving viewers who know little about the period puzzled beyond belief. The screenplay is also weak on character development, portraying the autocrat as a monodimensional buffoon, someone whom it’s hard to believe could have accomplished so much (for what it’s worth) by being a loutish dolt. And then there’s Phoenix’s hammy overacting, coming across like a tantrum-prone spoiled little kid than a head of state. It could be that tactic was intentional, perhaps to make a statement about the current political climate and one of its chief players, but falling back on ambition alone as a defining character trait is overly simplistic, even if it’s meant to resonate symbolically. In light of the foregoing, it seems like this project could have used some more in-depth development beyond its production aspects, and perhaps the best way to accomplish that would have been to expand the scope of the story. At a current runtime of 2:41:00, though, the only way to realistically achieve that would have been to grow the story by at least another hour, which means that this venture would likely have worked better as a miniseries than a standalone film. It’s rare for director Scott to drop the ball as much as he has with this offering, but I suppose it’s not too surprising when it comes to tackling something as big as this, an epic that ends up being anything but.
hamfaceman
Jan 19, 2024 · via TMDB
Hearing over and over on the internet about how Napoleon led his army to die in the cold Russian winter, I always assumed he just died there along with them. Turns out, he didn't, and what an unfortunate turn of events that was because it resulted in another hour of movie to watch! I liked the cannon stuff. I would have liked to see more cannons. Getting pretty tired of the whole mumbling Joaquin Phoenix act. If you put this ham on your face, be sure to turn on subtitles!
BornKnight
Jan 15, 2024 · via TMDB
Based on a screenplay by David Scarpa (that is writing the screenplay for Gladiator 2 too... oh oh) rather than a history book this is as epic as Ridley Scott makes his movies technically.... and that's it. After Ridley's Scott last movie (the magnificent and accurate "The Duel" of 2021) went under the radar on its year my expectation bar was set too high for this one. I can't dismiss all technical work because I just love all Ridley Scott movies because of his singular style, and the movie is truly breathtaking in the major battles parts. But as a whole it simplifies the real personality of the character (that Joaquin Phoenix plays) as a commander and personality of the time (maybe the most famous of that era) and minimizes the intrincancy of his relations with Empress Joséphine (played by Vanessa Kirby). Joaquin plays Napoleon role very well, even with the limitations of being just a caricature here. The gaps and errors in historically accuracy and battle scenes tactics are just fathomless deep, and history is compressed as it where from a history book name and resume of chapter to another, loosing the chance to achieve something grandiose here. I can just dream on a well made screenplay and accurate movie here with the same quality of Ridley's work - nevertheless that it would take more than just one movie to get that chapter of Europe's history. Maybe it will get one or two nominations at Academy for production, costume or cinematography here but that's it. If it was a historical movie of a lesser known character or just focused on one part of his life it the score could be higher but here I just can get a 6.0 out of 10.0 / B - (but with a A for the technical side). It seems thar a version with 92 plus minutes will be released on Apple, but without a final director's cut version date.
MovieGuys
Jan 12, 2024 · via TMDB
I had high hopes for Napoleon but the final product was, for me, disappointing. Lets start by saying this feels more like a cinematic biography than sweeping saga. The approach taken is to move from set piece to set piece through the passage of this famous figures life. Regrettably, the handling, like Napoleons tryst with Josephine, is quick and crude. Set piece gives way to yet more set pieces,with no real contextual cohesion. There are a number of historical inaccuracies too. The most glaring being the absence of a younger actor in the earlier part of Napoleons career. This could have worked better with Joaquin Phoenix playing Napoleon in his latter years, married up to a actor of similar appearance, playing the younger Napoleon. Napoleon did change markedly over the years, why not take this approach? I will say too, I think the American accent that's pretty hard to ignore, does not sit well, with a production set in this era.Brit accents are more believable because they were a well established presence on the world stage, at the time. I wasn't always sure if I was watching a film about Napoleon or Washington. A role I think Phoenix would be fabulous in, BTW. This is not to say this film is "all negatives". A ton of money has been spent on this lavish production and it shows. Sets are amazing, as are costumes and locations. The gruesomeness of warfare be it domestic, Royalists dispatched by cannon in the streets of Paris or enemies on the battlefield, is laid bare. This really brings home the fact that warfare and imperialism, which we still see today, is ultimately an ugly, sinister, destructive thing. In summary, issues with the handling of this historical production are its biggest shortcoming. From the choice of approach, with almost obsessive set pieces, the use of an older actor in a younger role and other aspects of how the character is presented. On the upside, lavish and at times, brutally frank, especially the bloody spectacle of conflict. There are no hero's in war, including Napoleon himself. NOTE: For anyone interested Napoleon was not short. He was around 5.7" tall which was the male French average height for the century he was born in (height of people varied century to century based on factors like food availability). The reason people think he was short, was propaganda from his enemies. I guess propaganda does work, after all!
pimpskitters
Jan 9, 2024 · via TMDB
Didn't really get much of a read on this movies take on Napoleon the person. He walks around, is terrible at fucking, and does not appear to be as short as history had made him out to be. As for historical accuracy, I doubt he really wore the hat so often, and I did not see him jam his hands into his armpits a single time. French Braveheart goes through all the beats these giant war epics go through [yawns uncontrollably], it does it well enough [farts loudly], and has some fun blowing apart flesh with cannons [gets slightly hard].
Chandler Danier
Jan 8, 2024 · via TMDB
I'm afraid Napoleon is a little boring. Josephine is the best part of the whole project. Amazing cannon stuff, though. Just blew their load a bit early... 10/10 if it was over after they shot the citizenry...but the horse. Damn. That was a rush worth filming. All told, the film left me wishing Napoleon had died before another hour and a half could get tacked on. Was somewhat like watching a tiny old man die in exile on an island.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Joaquin Phoenix
Napoleon Bonaparte
Vanessa Kirby
Josephine Bonaparte
Tahar Rahim
Paul Barras
Rupert Everett
Duke of Wellington
Mark Bonnar
Junot
Paul Rhys
Talleyrand
Ben Miles
Caulaincourt
Riana Duce
Lucille
Edouard Philipponnat
Tsar Alexander
Miles Jupp
Emperor Francis I
Scott Handy
Marshal Berthier
Youssef Kerkour
Marshal Davout
John Hollingworth
Marshal Ney
Abubakar Salim
General Dumas
Thom Ashley
La Bedoyere
Jannis Niewöhner
Hippolyte Charles
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Sieyes
John Hodgkinson
Fouche
Erin Ainsworth
Hortense I
Isabella Brownson
Hortense II
Benjamin Chivers
Eugene I
Sinéad Cusack
Letizia Bonaparte
Audrey Brisson-Jutras
Elisa Bonaparte
Matthew Needham
Lucien Bonaparte
Sam Crane
Jacques-Louis David
Sam Troughton
Robespierre
Edward Bennett
Royalist Supporter
Julian Wadham
Jean de Cambaceres
Ludivine Sagnier
Theresa Cabarrus
Catherine Walker
Marie Antoinette
Honor Kneafsey
Marie Antoinette Kid #1
Alexander Shaw
Marie Antoinette Kid #2
Phil Cornwell
Sanson the Bourreau
Harry Taurasi
Citizen Lacombe
Edward Mercieca
General Carteaux
Arthur McBain
General Marchand
Andy Burse
Drunken British Guard
Emeric Bernard-Jones
Barras' Friend #1
Dominic Coleman
Clerk | Storage Room
Ian McNeice
Louis XVIII
Richard McCabe
Lord Whitworth
Tom Godwin
Austrian Ambassador
Gavin Spokes
Moulin
David Verrey
Gohier
Edward Hogg
Citizen Gilbert
Ed Hughes
Lucien's Associate
Jonathan Barnwell
Bourrienne (Napoleon's Secretary)
Robin Soans
Pope Pius VII
Bart Lambert
Cosack Scout (Lake)
Joshua Leese
French Signal Man #1 (Austerlitz)
Nicholas Shaw
French Signal Man #2 (Austerlitz)
Anna Mawn
The Duchess Marie Louise
Imogen Slaughter
Nurse | Baby Napoleon
Ned Costello
French Grenadier (Butcher)
Kevin Eldon
Dr Corvisart
Richard Leeming
Messenger | Tuileries
Billy Byers
Napoleon's Boy Waterloo
Peter Sandys-Clarke
British Lieutenant | Waterloo
Tim Delap
Imperial Guard | Waterloo
Cormac Hyde-Corrin
Mid Shipman #1
Michael Nardone
Plotter (Jacobin Club)
Robert Goodman
Elderly Male Vagrant #2 | Moscow
Sophie Lund
Nanny
Morgan Watkins
Prussian Officer
Ed Eales White
Duke D'Enghien (uncredited)
Jacob Marshfield
Cannon Commander (uncredited)
Theodore Zammit
Local (uncredited)
Arthur Max
Production Design
Celia Bobak
Set Decoration
Elli Griff
Set Decoration
Daniele Massaccesi
"A" Camera Operator
Daniele Massaccesi
Camera Operator
Dariusz Wolski
Director of Photography
David Crossman
Costume Design
Cali Nelle
Fight Choreographer
Elizabeth Donker Curtius
Stunt Double
Abel Djilali
Stunts
Adam Behan
Stunts
Bogdan Kumšackij
Stunts
Christina Petrou
Stunts
Freddie Mason
Stunts
Genadiy Ganchev
Stunts
Luke Tumber
Stunts
Rachael Evelyn
Stunts
Raicho Vasilev
Stunts
Stilyan Mavrov
Stunts
Ridley Scott
Director
Claire Simpson
Editor
Sam Restivo
Editor
Joaquin Phoenix
Producer
Kevin J. Walsh
Producer
Ridley Scott
Producer
Oliver Ferris
Foley Artist
Adam Mendez
Foley Mixer
Martin Phipps
Original Music Composer
Stéphane Bucher
Sound Mixer
Paul Massey
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Neil Corbould
Special Effects Supervisor
Katie Anna Brady
VFX Artist
Paul Thomas Anderson
Script Consultant
David Scarpa
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Apple TV+ (Director's Cut)
