Vinni Misa shares his Napoleon review which is now showing in theaters from Columbia Pictures PH. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby and is directed by the legendary Ridley Scott.

Perhaps no other director today has made a mark for himself in the Historical Epic genre quite like Ridley Scott. From his directorial debut, The Duellists, to Gladiator, to Kingdom of Heaven, to even Robin Hood, and his most recent medieval film The Last Duel. However, Scott may have forgotten what audiences crave from historical epics: Epic Battle Scenes.

Napoleon is the latest directorial effort of Ridley Scott in the historical epic genre, based on the life of Napoleon Bonaparte.

While it does capture the scope in filming the large scale battle scenes, it is a bit disappointing that there weren’t enough of them. Especially for a prolific conqueror such as Napoleon Bonaparte.

The film instead highlights Napoleon’s most difficult battles: his marriage and family life. Still, Scott and lead actor Joaquin Phoenix succeed in portraying a flawed man who’s viewed as a saviour from the Reign of Terror by the French. While he’s not explicitly portrayed as a short man, it still emphasizes the ever infamous term “Napoleon Complex” by highlighting the problems of which he compensates for by being a military genius.

It is also a must to keep in mind that the film is merely a dramatization as it does deal with a number of historical inaccuracies. Overall, I think still Napoleon is worth the prize of an admission, especially at a time when historical epics are becoming more sparse in cinemas.

Napoleon Review – Verdict

I’m giving the film a 7/10.

Napoleon is out on cinemas November 29, from Columbia Pictures Philippines.