Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon?
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wrote on 10 Dec 2023, 00:01 last edited by
I think it is the director’s cut we have on DVD. Not sure.
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wrote on 10 Dec 2023, 14:45 last edited by
Oy...
Having loved “Gladiator,” I mistakenly grasped onto the vain hope that my friends’ dire warnings that “Napoleon” had gone amiss. After all, how bad can it be? This is a movie about Napoleon, and I was doomed to watch it, no matter what anyone said.
Yet, a few minutes into the movie, I found myself hoping it would end.
Tragically, Scott seemed utterly disinterested in Napoleon, in giving a moral or political message, or even in giving audiences a reason to care about the multimillion-dollar spectacle before them.
He decided not so much merely to bite off more than he could chew, but to gobble down a skyscraper. “Napoleon” features Toulon, Austerlitz, Russia, and Waterloo, and somehow manages to make none of them mean anything.
Unlike “Gladiator”—which focuses on revenge, justice, and freedom, bringing ancient Rome to life—”Napoleon” merely tells most of Bonaparte’s life’s story without any clear theme or moral point.
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wrote on 14 Jan 2024, 02:09 last edited by
Anyone seen it yet?
Apple TV's gonna have it in about 3 weeks.
As I mentioned, Scott has a director's cut that's about 90 minutes (!) longer.
All of the reviews seem to say, "Nice movie. Imagine how much better it would have been if it were accurate." I rewatched the Critical Drinker's review and his comment that it would be better suited to a 10-part miniseries on Amazon, Netflix.
He's such an incredibly complex character that I don't see how it can be done in 2 hours or so.
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Anyone seen it yet?
Apple TV's gonna have it in about 3 weeks.
As I mentioned, Scott has a director's cut that's about 90 minutes (!) longer.
All of the reviews seem to say, "Nice movie. Imagine how much better it would have been if it were accurate." I rewatched the Critical Drinker's review and his comment that it would be better suited to a 10-part miniseries on Amazon, Netflix.
He's such an incredibly complex character that I don't see how it can be done in 2 hours or so.
wrote on 14 Jan 2024, 02:43 last edited by@George-K said in Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon?:
Anyone seen it yet?
Mrs. Phibes saw it at the cinema. She said it was a fun movie. She wasn't expecting realism.
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@George-K said in Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon?:
Anyone seen it yet?
Mrs. Phibes saw it at the cinema. She said it was a fun movie. She wasn't expecting realism.
wrote on 14 Jan 2024, 09:12 last edited by@Doctor-Phibe It's a decent action movie. Some historical flaws, casting Phoenix as Napoleon wouldn't have been my choice.
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wrote on 3 Mar 2024, 17:08 last edited by
It was released to Apple TV+ a few days ago.
What.
A.
Waste.It's truly spectacular, even on a small-ish screen.
But geez, talk about superficial. We learn almost nothing of his early life and his ascendency to power. His becoming emperor is "Oh, yeah, he did that, too." Even his return to France after his exile was skimmed over.
Whoever said this should be a 6-8 part mini-series was right.
And yeah Phoenix is too old.
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wrote on 3 Mar 2024, 17:39 last edited by
That's about right.
The battles were nice. But even those felt a little rushed.
The wardrobe was nice, I can't say if it was accurate.
A mini-series that develops a few more characters would help.
Blame Mr. Bonaparte the scope of his life was too much for a 2 hr 37 min movie.
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wrote on 3 Mar 2024, 21:08 last edited by
But we still have mini-series...Most of the stuff on streaming is actually mini-series, if you consider a mini-series as a single character or ensemble of characters in a single story arc of eight hours or so.
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wrote on 26 Apr 2024, 00:29 last edited by
Still have yet to watch it but came across this critique which I thought was well presented:
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wrote on 26 Apr 2024, 00:34 last edited by
Thanks for that, @Renauda .
We've commented on how Napoleon's life would be much-better suited to a limited mini-series. Imagine how Scott could have told the story over 10 episodes rather than 2 ½ hours!
Overall, I think this critique is spot on: Too ambitious, too compressed, too vague. Spectacular to watch but...where's the beef?
The History Buff's youtube channel sings the praises of Master and Commander. It was intended to be a series of films, but the project died because of poor revenues.
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wrote on 26 Apr 2024, 00:40 last edited by
Master and Commander is one my all time favourite films. Probably in second place behind Lawrence of Arabia
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wrote on 26 Apr 2024, 00:56 last edited by
Take an afternoon and watch Scott's Napoleon. I'd love to read your thoughts.
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wrote on 26 Apr 2024, 02:48 last edited by
Only if it’s the extended director’s cut version which I don’t think has been yet released
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wrote on 23 Jun 2024, 02:24 last edited by
Just watched it. Marvelously filmed, but the criticisms I have read here hold. The clear implication was he was nothing without Josephine. SO much fascinating history that could have unfolded and yet was blithely glossed over for a few highlights that were poorly presented.
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wrote on 29 Aug 2024, 16:23 last edited by
The "Director's Cut" is available on Apple TV+.
More battle scenes.
More Josephine.
More on Napoleons death.45 minutes (or so) longer.
"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08
The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.
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wrote on 29 Aug 2024, 16:32 last edited by
Meh.
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The "Director's Cut" is available on Apple TV+.
More battle scenes.
More Josephine.
More on Napoleons death.45 minutes (or so) longer.
wrote on 30 Aug 2024, 17:44 last edited by
