i’m not very knowledgeable about Napoleonic history, but i read a review of the movie today that i wanted to share. it seemed entirely reasonable, and since i’m reluctant to spend money on Hollyweird productions, it encouraged me to stay away from the theater for this one, too. here it is:
This is my review of the new Napoleon movie.
Before I begin, let me say I studied the Napoleonic Era extensively and am very familiar with it. I neither hate Napoleon nor love him, so I judge this film objectively.
Let's start with the basics. Many of my initial fears about the film were correct. The rise of Napoleon and his reign encompass far too many events to do justice in a 2 1/2 hour movie. The film 'Waterloo' covers simply the Battle of Waterloo and is 2 hours long - this allows it to fully flesh out the event and characters.
Trying to fit 15+ years into one movie is very difficult. ‘Napoleon’ tries to do too much too fast and is rushed. It jumps through each notable event of Napoleon's life in quick succession, and this doesn't give the proper detail or buildup these moments need. It sucks out their intensity, drama, and weight. Yet still, important aspects of Napoleon's reign like his internal reforms to France and his relationship with Catholicism are left unexplored.
'Napoleon' also does a very bad job displaying the charisma and energy that the real life Napoleon had. Napoleon, for all his faults, was a leader who inspired real devotion from his men. This leadership ability is never given proper representation in the film. Instead, it's the opposite. Napoleon is mostly shown as a low energy weirdo. It leaves you wondering how he even became emperor. The film really goes out of its way to make Napoleon more awkward and... bizarre than he really was.
Another drawback of the film is how it puts massively disproportionate emphasis on Napoleon's relationship with his first wife Josephine. While Josephine was a large part of Napoleon's life, the film makes it seem like he was completely obsessed with her. In reality, Napoleon frequently cheated on her and divorced her when he felt like it. I assume that the film’s outsized emphasis on Josephine is Hollywood’s way of rewriting history to give women more importance in this time period.
Then we have historical inaccuracies, which could get their own thread. I’ll mention two of the most egregious. Movie Napoleon shoots the Egyptian pyramids with cannons, which never happened. The Battle of Austerlitz has the Austrians and Russians walk into an obvious trap in a giant frozen gulch. In the real battle, they took the high ground on a strategic hill.
All in all, ‘Napoleon’ will be very disappointing to fans of this epic historical period. Like many films today, the creators were just going through the motions rather than trying to create a work of art that will be remembered for generations. Frankly, I’m surprised Hollywood didn’t do more to glorify Napoleon. In the long run, Napoleon’s reign spread liberal reforms through Europe and weakened the continent’s traditional ruling structures (monarchy, aristocracy, Church). Plutocrats like those in Hollywood would’ve loved Napoleon’s rule. I suppose despite this, he was still too ‘nationalist’ for them. Oh well, I won’t interrupt my enemy when they’re making a mistake.