Grade: (6.8/10)
Napoleon seeks to provide nuance to its titular character by examining his insecurities as well as his relationship with his wife, Josephine.
Plot (30/50)
The film tracks Napoleon’s rise to power, his successful military conquests, and his downfall following his failed invasion of Russia. In between all the battles and high-level politicking, the sentiment of the French populous pokes through. Furthermore, the story perpetually drifts towards Josephine to give insight into Napoleon’s very human emotions. Ultimately, the swinging back and forth between Napoleon’s military conquests and his relationship with Josephine does not allow for either story to be told to its fullest.
From the Ashes of the Monarchy
The film opens in 1793 Paris, France during the French Revolution amidst the Reign of Terror. Marie Antoinette, France’s last queen, is brought forth and executed via Guillotine. Robespierre would remain in power for a few more months before being ousted and executed via Guillotine as well. With the Reign of Terror over, the French government was once again faced with mounting civil unrest. As the revolutionaries and royalists fought for influence over French politics, France’s continental strength continued to decline.
Amidst the infighting, Toulon was taken over by the English. Toulon was a critical port city, so losing it to the British would have disastrous ramifications. Amongst the forces sent to recapture Toulon was Napoleon, who was still a lowly officer at the time. Nonetheless, Napoleon was determined to make an impression. He devised a plan to ambush and overtake a strategic fort that would compromise British ships. He would soon lead the French soldiers to victory. Napoleon had successfully pushed the British back and retaken Toulon in his first major battle.
Napoleon was recognized for his achievement, but it was only until 1795 that he would truly start his upwards trajectory in politics. A royalist insurrection had gained steam and was marching in the streets of Paris. Napoleon was called upon to crush the rebellious mob, and so he did. He gathered canons and swiftly fired at the royalists. The violent nature of the response overwhelmed the royalists. Some were killed while the majority instantly fled. Napoleon once again proved decisive for the Republic. His importance could no longer be denied.
Rise to Power
Having established himself as a brilliant commander, Napoleon was now a staple in French parliament. Anyone who wished to grasp power would need Napoleon by their side. During this time, Napoleon would meet his future wife, Josephine. Josephine, an aristocrat, was imprisoned during the Reign of Terror. She was a widow with two children and had had several affairs. Nonetheless, Napoleon was infatuated with her, and the two would get married in 1795.
Shortly after the wedding, Napoleon left Paris for Egypt. There, he led what was deemed a successful campaign. However, during this time, Josephine had an affair. Rumors of her affair spread across France and eventually reach Napoleon, who was understandably furious. More importantly, the Republic’s position had weakened, and as a result, France was once again in a precarious position. As a result of these two troubling developments, Napoleon decided to return to Paris in 1799 despite not being ordered to do so.
His return was immediately questioned by leading officials who accused him of desertion. However, they couldn’t do anything about it owing to Napoleon’s popularity amongst the people. After confronting Josephine about her affair, the two somewhat reconciled. Napoleon then turned his attention to the French government. He knew that the politicians in power had no leverage over him, so he garnered what little political support he needed and swiftly executed a coup that established him as “first consul.” In the space of a few years, he had risen up from a lowly military officer to France’s head of state.
Napoleon the Emperor
Napoleon would spend the next few years expanding his power through military success. Prominent European emperors and monarchs mostly refused to engage Napoleon diplomatically either because they were threatened by him or because they did not recognize his authority. This led to the official crowning of Napoleon as emperor in 1804. Still, it was only until Napoleon’s decisive victory against the Austrians and the Russians at the Battle of Austerlitz that he would be taken seriously.
In the years that followed, France’s position continued to strengthen as a result of military success and diplomatic channels. Back home, Napoleon’s lack of heir was becoming an increasingly glaring risk to the Empire. This led to Napoleon’s divorce of Josephine in 1810 and subsequent marriage to the daughter of Emperor Francis II of Austria. She would soon give birth to a son, thus resolving the matter of succession. Napoleon’s marriage to an Austrian princess also served to further legitimize his place amongst other European leaders.
The Downfall
Things started to go downhill for Napoleon in 1812. Napoleon had grown frustrated with Czar Alexander I of Russia for his insolence and disloyalty. Seeking to eliminate the Russian threat, Napoleon raised a massive army including soldiers from Austrian, Prussian, and Italian allies. He was advised against invading Russia but did so anyways. Eventually, he reached Moscow, only to find that it had been abandoned. It was subsequently burned as part of Russia’s scorched-earth approach. The Russians mostly refused to engage Napoleon in head-to-head combat outside of debilitating guerilla warfare.
At this point, the notorious Russian winter had set in. Napoleon was once again advised against going deeper into Russia or that he should, at the very least, wait the winter out. His refusal to heed the warnings would prove costly. Soldiers died in large numbers due to a combination of cold weather, disease, and lack of food. While Napoleon managed to withdraw without suffering outright defeat, his air of invincibility was shattered. European allies smelled blood and teamed up with his other rivals. The pressure would eventually force Napoleon to abdicate the throne in 1814 after which he was exiled to the island of Elba.
A few months later, Napoleon learned of Josephine’s illness. He had grown wary of the quiet life, so he decided to set sail for France. There, he was intercepted by the 5th Regiment, but they quickly joined his march towards Paris. Napoleon regathered his forces and sought to defeat the British army before the Prussians arrived, but he was unable to do so. The defeat was a decisive one. The British would then exile him to the island of Saint Helena until his death in 1821.
Overall Thoughts
When it comes to remarkable historical individuals, their lives are usually filled with enough excitement to fill up a film. In a sense, the story tells itself. It’s an exercise of managing, not creating. Sometimes, directors want to put a spin on the story. By doing so, they open themselves up to unnecessary risk because if their touch doesn’t pan out, the story suffers. This is one of those cases. Ridley Scott tries to highlight Napoleon’s relationship with Josephine alongside his military conquests, but he’s unable to find the balance necessary to tell a cohesive story.
In the end, the film is plagued by a sort of stop-start pacing resulting from its inability to commit to either story. Napoleon’s expansive military conquest featured many battles, but because we only got to see the key battles, they feel more like checkpoints. It certainly doesn’t help that the film is littered with historical inaccuracies, and while that is to be expected of this type of film, what we saw here felt unnecessary and damaging to the story. I hate to say it, but this was a largely disappointing film.
Character Development (7/15)
Napoleon is known by most as a brilliant military commander whose conquests reestablished France as a leading European power. The film seeks to tell of the man behind the commander, but it struggles to offer much substance in that regard. His early life was naturally critical to his development, yet it is completely overlooked here. His insecurity and awkward social nature offer some color, as does his love for France and Josephine, but they don’t come together in way that leaves the audience with a clear understanding of Napoleon’s psyche.
Napoleon
In the early parts of the film, Napoleon is established as an ambitious man with a point to prove. He isn’t afraid to take risks, nor does he dwell on misfortune. He simply analyzes his position and makes the most of the resources he has on hand. These qualities, alongside his tactical nous, are what make him such a brilliant military commander. His popularity is further enhanced by his willingness to get his hands dirty. His presence among his soldiers does wonders for their morale. Furthermore, Napoleon’s passion for France inspires loyalty among his soldiers. Their loyalty proves invaluable time and time again.
Still, behind all the glory is a man with very human emotions. He’s socially awkward, but he’s able to compensate for that through his military dominance and with the support of politicians. What really seems to drive him is an insecurity that he’s never truly able to overcome. His insecurity is entrenched by rejections and betrayals by various key individuals including other Emperors and his wife, Josephine. On the battlefield, his insecurity eventually turns into vanity that clouds his judgement and leads to the failed invasion of Russia that spells the beginning of the end for his rule over France.
His insecurity manifests itself differently in his relationship with Josephine. It’s clear that Napoleon loved Josephine and that she loved him back, which is why her infidelity devastated Napoleon. After her affair, Napoleon tells her that he’s not insecure like other men, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t insecure. At the time, other powerful men would’ve likely punished their wives harshly for such behavior. In that respect, Napoleon wasn’t like other men. Instead, his insecurity manifested itself in a way that pushed him towards Josephine even more. His desire to be loved outweighed all other feelings.
Josephine
The film starts to fall apart as it gets deeper into the relationship between Napoleon and Josephine. When we first see Josephine, she’s being released from imprisonment after the fall of the Reign of Terror. She’s a widowed aristocrat with two children living in a Parisian environment that was incredibly hostile towards her class. She was -to the full meaning of the phrase- damaged goods. In order to survive, she had to go from one man to another. Her life wasn’t terrible, at least not after she was released, but she certainly had little agency over it. That would soon change.
Shortly after Josephine’s release, Napoleon would take an interest in her. He was not bothered by her past relationships nor the fact that she had children. Still, their marriage was marred with controversy starting with her Josephine’s affair during Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt. She didn’t respond to his love letters, and to make matters worse, she was having an affair. It’s clear that, at first, Josephine didn’t love Napoleon the way he loved her. He was a powerful man who uniquely offered her stability through marriage when other powerful men would only take her on as a mistress. This was a strategic marriage on her part.
As the years progressed, it appears as if Josephine developed a love for Napoleon. Perhaps that love was born out of desperation, but it was there nonetheless. Napoleon, for his part, never stopped loving her. He had resisted divorcing for so long before succumbing to the pressure of his advisors, including his mother. The film tries to convey the power dynamics of the relationship over the years, but it doesn’t do a good job. A focus on their love leaves out Josephine’s crucial role in furthering Napoleon’s influence through social interactions. The two complemented eachother in a way that gave Josephine agency. We needed to see more of that to better understand their relationship.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- “People are driven by misery to revolution… and brought back by revolution to misery.”
- A sense of responsibility to a greater cause can make people do hurtful things even to the people they love most.
- Even the mightiest of the mighty fall.
- Left unchecked, insecurity will eat away at a person’s accomplishments.
Acting (13/15)
Joaquin Phoenix (Napoleon) is predictably good, but it is Vanessa Kirby (Josephine) that steals the spotlight with her expressively muted performance.
Cinematography (14/15)
- The battle scenes looked awesome, as did the expansive shots.
- One particularly interesting detail involved the pens used to sign the marriage and divorce papers. When Napoleon and Josephine signed the marriage papers, each had their own pen, but when they signed the divorce papers, they both used the same pen. It was obvious that Josephine was forced into the divorce, and having them use the same pen was symbolic of her lack of agency in that moment.