Napoleon
The brief
Ridley Scott's Napoleon feels like watching a sulky, brilliant man-child throw tantrum after tantrum across two and a half hours of lavish battlefields and bedroom drama. Phoenix plays Bonaparte as a mumbling, petulant figure who's somehow both pathetic and terrifying, while Kirby's Josephine matches his intensity with ice-cold manipulation. The massive battle sequences are Scott at his most bombastic, but the pacing drags whenever we're stuck watching Napoleon pout about his marriage problems. Perfect for anyone who loved The Last Duel or wants Gladiator energy applied to French history, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.
The verdict
If you love Ridley Scott's epic battle spectacles and don't mind watching a brilliantly unhinged Joaquin Phoenix portray Napoleon as a petulant man-child, this delivers exactly the bombastic historical drama you'd expect. If you're looking for tight pacing or a more traditional heroic portrayal of Bonaparte, the 158-minute runtime and Phoenix's deliberately off-putting performance will test your patience.
Watch with
- 👥 History buffs who love epic spectacle
- 👫 Couples who enjoy complex relationship dramas
- ⚠️ Those wanting lighter historical fare
Heads up
- Intense battle violence and warfare (frequent)
- Sexual content and nudity (moderate)
- Emotional manipulation and toxic relationship dynamics (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Mark Bonnar, Paul Rhys, Ben Miles
Official synopsis
An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Hamlet (2026)
Both explore tragic leaders whose ambition destroys personal relationships.
Total runtime: 2h 38m + 1h 53m = 4h 31m
