Stanko's Stance

“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.”

Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: David Scarpa
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby
Release Date: November 22, 2023
IMDB

Is it okay to be slightly underwhelmed but still pleased?

Napoleon decides that story structure is a secondary aspect of its entertainment vessel. It takes some getting used to, but once one lets Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby and the choice of tone settle into place, Napoleon establishes itself as a beautiful historical embellishment. Ridley Scott’s epic tale of boiled over egotism is not a perfect movie, but it is top-notch entertainment. 

The floor for Scott’s films is high, and the ceiling is even higher. Admittedly, we haven’t seen Ridley reach up and touch that ceiling in a minute. However, the approach to Napoleon is one Ridley Scott doesn’t normally take, and the playful manner towards a serious subject (once accepted) makes Napoleon more than worthwhile viewing.

Napoleon is a grand larger-than-life scale about a presumed small man. Joaquin Phoenix plays the role of France’s iconic military genius, beginning with his impressive rise to fame and following the Corsecian through his destructive obsession with public perception, ambition and glory. The anchor for Napoleon is his wife Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), the only person who sees his power yet can still manipulate him when he needs it most. The fluctuations in their marriage mirror much of the stress Napoleon experiences in his professional life. With Napoleon being based on an actual person, we know how the story ends with disgrace and exile, yet it’s still a blast to let the movie wash over you. 

It may be a very strange comparison, but Napoleon can be compared to Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975). Both Kubrick and Scott don’t know how to do “small.” Both gentlemen stick to their guns and have visions they don’t like deviating from, regardless of the audience or critics’ response. Napoleon also shares the comedic tone feathering every scene of seriousness. There is an outlandish cloud that adds a shade of what the fuck is happening to the story, and that chin-in-hand confused face expression is absolutely part of the Napoleon experience.

Scott’s scale and style intertwined with one of the most talented bombastic actors is something to watch. Whether or not the whole thing works is up for debate, but Joaquin Phoenix brings an eccentricity and craziness that is remarkably hard to look away from. The character Phoenix portrays seems to be adding meta commentary to “funny little man” (possibly truthful) slander that has traced Napoleon throughout history.

Now don’t get it twisted, Napoleon the character is always earnest, but David Scarpa’s script adds a border of comedy to every scene. Scarpa’s timeline is a time-hopping adventure that demands you pay attention to the years and locations that pop up on the screen. The screenplay is out there in the way the story is structured, but the one-liners Scarpa feeds Napoleon are unreal. 

There are many scenes in Napoleon where France’s most famous ruler is dealing sass equivalent to 100 scorned drunk college kids. Napoleon unironically and paradoxically asks an audience of nobles to vote while taking part in a coup d’état. Napoleon comindeers a crowning ceremony, which is already an event meant to highlight him, and douses the tense moment with antagonistic gasoline. Napoleon complains about Britain and their Naval supremacy like an elementary school kid who had his milk stolen. It’s all hilarious to watch, even if the event is a cemented significant life moment.

The most important part of Napoleon’s life is his relationship with Josephine. Vanessa Kirby has the fun part of being Phoenix’s sparring partner and the one-time Oscar nominee is up to the task. When we meet Josephine in the story, she is looking for a new foothold in society as a single mother. She catches the eye of Napoleon and uses her magnetic eyes like weaponized tractor beams to make sure she stays by his side. 

In an interview with Deadline, Kirby notes how she hopes everyone gets the sense of how strange Napoleon and Josephine are together. To call their relationship a roller coaster is simply not enough. There is a constant tug-of-war with power dynamics and neediness. There are mind-games galore and battle of psyches leads to many emotional outbursts that sometimes devolve into animalistic crawling. Literally.

The one insurmountable hurdle that Napoleon and Josephine can’t overcome is a classic problem for all royal families. Family. Hierarchy. The family line. 

The two love birds are forced to separate when a baby is not able to be made, yet the unique relationship doesn’t instantly fizzle out. Napoleon sets up Josephine in a fine home and continuously visits and writes to her till her dying days. In a funny awkward moment, Napoleon comes to show Josephine his new son. It is a sad moment because you are seeing what could have been, but again the strange comedy of the screenplay keeps it from being too real. 

There are two scenes in Napoleon that stick out in my brain more so than any others. 

The first of which revolves around Napoleon and Josephine and their very procedural marriage and divorce. When the two become betrothed, there are two pens for each to sign their own contracts. When the time for official separation comes to be, there is just one pen, and the goofy smiles that once filled the matrimonial room are filled with shaky smiles covering up true feelings that are very tough to understand.

The second scene that is unforgettable from Napoleon is the one that was in all the previews. It is the Battle of Austerlitz, AKA, the ice battle. It is Napoleon outsmarting an egotistical foe, but more importantly, it’s Ridley Scott reminding the audience that he still has the goods. This sequence absolutely rips and it comes at the perfect time in the movie to keep those viewers who are clamoring for physical violence satiated. 

There is an overhead shot of the ice crumbling, and that is very pleasing to the eye. However, there is a subtler part of this battle sequence that I just need to touch on.

The setting for the Battle of Austerlitz is in the snow-filled hills. Snow is white. The ice cracks and the frozen depths are blue. With it being a military conflict, there is blood, and the crimson is flowing. Red, white and blue are the colors of France, and France is the thing that’s most important to Napoleon. It is what he fights for.

I understand this particular blog is all over the place (much like the movie), but permit me one final thought.

Napoleon is obsessed with his public perception. He wants to be seen and respected by all, specifically by his fellow foreign rulers and his fellow countrymen. If someone disrespects Napoleon, he takes it personally. Someone who doesn’t give a shit about how the public sees him is one Sir Ridley Scott. In one of the best public relations moments ever, the following exchange happened.

Historian Patrice Gueniffey wrote critically of Napoleon citing how “anti-french” it was claiming “many historical errors” diminish the movie’s quality. While Gueniffey is most definitely correct about specific events being altered, Ridley Scott had an outstanding response when asked about it.

“The French don’t even like themselves. The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”

And in regards to the historical inaccuracies, Scott added

“Were you there? Oh, you weren’t there. Then how do you know?”

“When I have issues with historians, Excuse me, mate, were you there? No? Well, shut the f— up then.’”

Napoleon will be available on AppleTV+, eventually. Waiting to watch Ridley Scott’s newest movie may be irritating, but it’ll be worth the wait because Sir Scott has confirmed that there are 92 minutes of extra footage yet to be seen by the world. When that director’s cut eventually becomes available, the world will basically be given another film.

More Phoenix, Kirby and Scott manic energy together? Yes, sign me up.

STANKO RATING: B

P.S. Once I finish doing my James Bond rewatch and ranking project (probably about ⅓ of the way through), I will be doing a Ridley Scott cataloging like I did with David Fincher. It will be a DAUNTING task, but I can’t wait.