Ridley Scott’s film “Napoleon” premiered on November 22, 2023. The movie, starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Ridley Scott, showcases both the success of Napoleon’s career as a general and the relationships he formed with others during his prime.

The movie relies heavily on the cinematography, featuring a variety of both tragically romantic and intense battle scenes. Viewers often claim that the cinematography and Joaquin’s acting were the high points of the movie, particularly during the beloved battle scenes.

The film runs for two hours and thirty-eight minutes, leaving many viewers describing the experience as boring. Some expressed feeling sleepy as they watched the film. There are mixed reviews on Scott’s take on Napoleon, with a common criticism that the historical aspect of the film was not accurate. Despite this complaint, Scott claimed that he didn’t particularly care that the history was inaccurate, but instead, that he wanted to create a more entertaining take on Napoleon’s life. In addition to the film itself, Scott confirmed that there would be a four hour long director’s cut of “Napoleon” available on Apple TV+.

Although the long-awaited film has already accumulated much popularity, there are nearly as many viewers who disagree entirely with Ridley Scott’s take and have described their viewing experience as highly unpleasant. Particularly, there are strongly mixed opinions on Phoenix’s performance. Altogether, the movie seems to have accumulated a bit of controversy  and has created more desire for a deeper insight into Napoleon’s infamous career as both a general and a human being.

I had mixed opinions about this movie; I had gone into the theater with very high hopes. Despite the admirable cinematography and the powerful acting by Joaquin Phoenix, it was slightly difficult to follow the movie. It was particularly long, especially for a movie which claims a relatively inaccurate history.

However, there were a few memorable scenes that allowed me to gain respect for the movie. The battle scenes, in particular the Battle of Austerlitz scene, captured both the intensity of Napoleon as a person and the legacy he created in military history.

With all being said, it was still difficult to disguise the obvious weak points of the movie with a few enjoyable scenes. The movie felt very slow and long, despite the seemingly quick pacing. The movie was hardly memorable and did not live up to the praise it had been receiving long before it reached theaters. It seems as though myself and many other reviewers are disappointed with the movie and would have liked to see a more improved film to capture such an important figure in world history.

Grade: C-