REVIEW: ‘Napoleon’ is a considerable, but incomplete portrait of French ruler

Ambition is something leaders of nations should have. However, when that ambition is only self-serving, it can end in disaster, as Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” shows.

The film picks up right in the midst of the French Revolution, with Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix), then an army officer, in attendance for the beheading of Queen Marie Antoinette. From there, the film follows how he built popularity with military accomplishments and used political maneuvers to gain power in France.

The film then explores his military campaigns as Emperor of France while also dramatizing his relationship with his wife Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).

Scott’s historical epics often feel properly big in scale, and “Napoleon” is no exception. The France of that era is thoroughly brought to life with a great amount of detail when it comes to the setting and costumes, and the battle scenes appear large and loud, capturing their scope.

The grandiose scale of the film is matched by how Napoleon’s large ego and lust for power is portrayed. The historical figure’s narcissistic tendencies and desire for more, all driven by a sense of superiority and how he sees himself as larger than life, is on full display and makes for an intriguing character study.

The exploration of character isn’t limited to the battlefield or French corridors of power, though. Napoleon’s relationship to his wife Josephine also gets a lot of attention, and it shows a different version of the character, with him being so enamored with her that he cedes some control, one of the only areas in his life where he does so.

There is some some inner-turmoil for the character in this aspect, as his want for more power extends to needing an heir, something Josephine can’t provide. The situation creates conflict for Napoleon as he remains smitten by Josephine, while also angered with her and willing to move on to get his way.

While the film covers a sizable portion of the historical figure’s life, though, there’s a feeling that the movie still lacks some insight. As the film goes on, Scott’s film becomes somewhat of a historical slideshow of Bonaparte’s war campaigns and life events, such as his invasion of Russia and subsequent exile.

While Bonaparte’s love life and war exploits are shown, little else gets touched on. An audience never gets much of an idea of how Napoleon was as a ruler, what life was like under him, and what the population’s opinion was about him being in charge.

Obviously, the battles are a big part of the figure’s place in history and Scott connects that to Napoleon’s self-serving nature. Yet with a run time this long, some of the running time could have been dedicated elsewhere, such as showing him interact with commoners, other French statesmen or periods where he has self reflection.

Fortunately, the movie is able to lean on the performances of Phoenix and Kirby. Both give strong portrayals, with Phoenix convincingly showing Napoleon as a strongman and Kirby capturing her character’s complicated feelings regarding Bonaparte.

As a biopic and period piece, “Napoleon” definitely has positives. The recreation of the era and the huge battles of the time is well done, and the picture does explore the man’s rise and fall. The movie is held out of the upper echelon, though, because it feels like it could have been much more well-rounded. 3.5 out of 5.