Napoleon (2023)
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: David Scarpa
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Paul Rhys

Almost a quarter of a century after his swords and sandals epic Gladiator became a critically acclaimed cultural phenomenon and Oscars Best Picture winner, Ridley Scott re-teams with one of its stars – one of this generation’s leading actors and a multi-time Academy Award nominee, Joaquin Phoenix – to revisit another of history’s most written about leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte of France. With more historically accurate locations and just as many period-appropriate costumes as in his turn of the century fable, this life and times of France’s great-then-disgraced general should be a lot more affecting than it actually is. This bullet point journey through Bonaparte’s rise and fall from power doesn’t make powerful comment on the corruption of man, nor does it evaluate the emperor’s influence on war or peace, on Europe or France or the United Kingdom or Russia. In fact, it doesn’t say much at all…

It would be difficult to chronicle Napoleon’s story and fail to capture the imagination in one way or another. This is one of history’s most important figures, an emblem of power and greed. His various roles in post-revolution France took him across continents, saw him as the figurehead of coups, and brought about the deaths of more than one million people. His was a life filled with so many historically significant events, moments, and decisions, that anyone with so much as an Encyclopaedia Britannica could recount his story with at least some drama, shock and awe. The issue with this $200million film is that the script does little more than precisely that, recounting the significant moments of his leadership as if listing them out of a book, with a cheap and at times barely legible love angle tacked on to evoke empathy and provide commentary on the events that come fast and often with little context.

Joaquin Phoenix tries his best. He dominates every scene, embodying a character he clearly sees as more of a creature than a man. Under his spell, Napoleon Bonaparte is worthy of attention, a character whom we are desperate to investigate, to interrogate. But the film doesn’t allow for that. As we depart the beheading of Marie Antoinette in revolution-era France to first meet our subject, Phoenix is not unlike a lion with his jaw clenched, his eyes glazed, his uniform as extravagant and symbolic as a mane. There is so much promise held within this introduction – a potentially world-shifting performance, some spectacular wardrobe work, effective framing and blocking – and instead it sadly becomes emblematic of a film that leaves so much of its potential unfulfilled.

The bullet point journey through Napoleon’s conquests, political manoeuvres, and exiles, requires an emotional core for any potential audience to attach to, and it finds that in the would-be emperor’s marriage to his beloved Josephine. Vanessa Kirby embodies the infamous leader’s muse as if a witch who has cast a spell, and the Oscar-nominated performer’s turn is at times just as beguiling as Phoenix’s. Together, they never hit the highs of some of their other on-screen relationships (Phoenix in Her, Kirby in Pieces of a Woman), nor is their relationship as moving as that presented by Mel Gibson and Catherine McCormack in Braveheart, or as lustful as that presented by Omar Sharif and Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago. There isn’t even a sense of dangerous plotting as underlined by the incestuous relationship hinted at between Phoenix and Connie Nielsen in Gladiator, which at least provoked a reaction. In Napoleon, Phoenix and Kirby are believably brought together, but they are far from enchanted by one another, and as time passes and events occur, you expect that to become part of the commentary on Napoleon’s lack of humanity, but it doesn’t. Napoleon instead frames this relationship as the beating heart of its subject, as the primary motivating factor, the biggest achievement, the biggest regret. And the film only takes brief moments to dissect this, or even present a valid argument as to how the relationship motivated the man to achieve otherworldly horrors. Theirs is a story that runs parallel to the story of Napoleon’s “achievements”, evolving from time to time but largely suffering from the same “this happens and then this happens and then this happens” that plagues the rest of the tale.

Beyond the limitations of David Scarpa’s screenplay, which was no doubt limited in its potential by the vast period of time it sought to cover (a period of more than 25 years), and the effects this has on Claire Simpson’s editing and pacing of the film, Napoleon does achieve a lot cinematically. First and foremost, the costume work is spectacular. David Crossman and Janty Yates’ work in costuming is nothing short of stellar, and a glimpse at the level of quality many expected a modern Ridley Scott historical epic to achieve. Everyone looks unique and period-appropriate, but the smaller details on the limited selection of main characters are worthy of the biggest screen possible and plenty of critical acclaim. Similarly, the production design by Arthur Max is a significant factor in bringing cinematic qualities to scenes that are otherwise inconsequential or at least far from unmissable. The party and governmental scenes are where the latter shines the brightest, some sequences decked out and presented as if the period’s great paintings.

Ridley Scott must be commended for his role in bringing this to life, too. Some shots are of the highest cinematic calibre, a master clearly touching on the greatness that has been foundational to his visually impressive career to date. His party scenes are filled with life, there are unique physical qualities to many of the major historical figures at play in the story, and he seems intent on ensuring that not a single battle is presented in as bland a fashion as many other director’s have long since settled. His work with cinematographer Dariusz Wolski in the capturing of cold, of fog, of early morning winter sunrises, imbues the piece with a sense of reality and ensures that nobody can be bored by the achievements held within each frame. Some sequences, such as the one in which Napoleon takes Moscow, are worthy even of a highlight reel that includes The Duellists, Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise and Gladiator.

As has often been the case in more recent Scott movies, there are also shots, scenes and sometimes even entire sequences that seem absent of his once unique and form-topping touch. Early on, it is easy to be removed from the reality of the time period courtesy of poor CGI, such as that showing Joaquin Phoenix riding a horse on a beach or large crowds resembling AI renditions more than actual people. The picture is also so awash with greys that it seems more like a mid-2000s early digital filmmaking release than even Scott’s own from that era. Some night time shots are utterly spectacular, and seem to be of the same school as those celebrated in Jordan Peele’s Nope, but there are vast periods in which everything looks washed out, and it is almost certain that minutes of this film will be barely legible (too dark) to anyone who eventually watches it at home.

Ridley Scott has spoken a lot in the press tour for Napoleon about how his movies do not need to be historically accurate. When a film seeks to explore something thematically, personally, or ideologically, then Scott is most certainly correct. Film is art, and art seeks truth rather than fact. Gladiator worked because of this perspective, because of how it abandoned fact in search of the truth held within the myth. But Napoleon doesn’t do that. It presents moment after moment from the history books, often inaccurately out of negligence as opposed to deeper purpose. There is no doubt that a lot of care and artistry can be seen on screen in Napoleon, but that negligence will be the story of this film: a movie that could have been great, that could have meant something, that could have simply been accurate, and ended up being none of those things. Like Napoleon himself, Napoleon thinks itself as greater than it is. It isn’t insulting like Ridley Scott’s idea of Napoleon firing canons into the Great Pyramid of Giza was to historians the world over, but it does offer only glimmers at its full might. Some individual pieces are greater than the whole in this instance, and what a shame that is. This should have been special.

Score: 15/24

Recommended for you: Ridley Scott Films Ranked

The Mauritanian (2021)
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Screenwriters: Michael Bronner, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani
Starring: Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, Zachary Levi

From the moment The Mauritanian begins, there is a strong sense of being in good hands. Kevin Macdonald, back with his first drama feature following close to a decade of documentaries, directs with a smooth precision, while the three leads are each perfectly cast and carry the film through what could have been quite murky waters. Benedict Cumberbatch is suitably stoic, while Jodie Foster makes a very welcome return to our screens, Tahar Rahim proving once again that he’s one of the most subtly powerful (and arguably underrated) actors working today. All of this makes The Mauritanian feel like a solidly classic legal thriller, but the best thing about it is that this detailed feature doesn’t take long to reveal that it is so much more than that.

Based on the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim), The Mauritanian begins a few months after the 9/11 attacks. Slahi is seen at a family celebration before he’s very quickly picked up by suits and whisked away in a car. Jumping forward a few years, we next see Slahi in a cell at Guantanamo Bay as he meets his prospective defence attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster). Slahi has been accused by the US government of recruiting agents for 9/11, but the lack of evidence against him allows Slahi to appeal for release in court. Filling out the last of the trifecta is Stuart Couch (Cumberbatch), a military lawyer and prosecutor for the government. Couch has a personal connection to the case, having been partners with one of the airline pilots killed in the attacks. As diligent a lawyer as he is, Couch is driven by the need to find someone responsible.

From the beginning it is clear that even though it is Slahi on trial, he is caught in the middle of a much bigger fight. Hollander repeatedly says she’s fighting to ‘uphold the law’; it’s imperative to her that Slahi be given a trial so that the lawless loophole that is Guantanamo can no longer elude US jurisdiction. Couch on the other hand already believes he has his man. Slahi has so many connections to various terrorist actors that he’s practically “the Al Qaeda Forrest Gump”, and Couch is gunning for justice. It’s a battle of philosophies and politics, all swirling around one quite shaken but undeniably charming man.

Each of the leads turn in formidable performances, but Rahim is the standout. Despite being reduced to only a few square feet in his jail cell, Rahim (as Mohamedou), with a few minute movements and expressions, manages to convey a far more expansive inner world. It’s mesmerising just watching him imagining something, while his voice remains soothing despite the horrors it’s describing. That’s not to say he’s not human – with the smallest twitch of an eye or shiver of his shoulders, Rahim conveys a far darker past than his affable personality suggests.

This part of his performance is crucial to the film’s success as it reveals the larger theme of redacted truth, which is The Mauritanian’s true message. Here, the film only flirts with the mystery around his guilt before pivoting to the larger injustice surrounding his incarceration. It is true that this somewhat deletes the established tension of the first act, but that was also never what the film was planning to be. Both Hollander and Couch learn a terrible lesson in the subjective nature of truth as they discover that far from being a defendant, Mohamedou is actually a witness. Having failed to provide the US with the information they wanted, Mohamedou was then tortured into confessing.

Macdonald directs the torture sequence like a horror movie and it appropriately shifts the film from entertaining thriller into a deep discomfort. Like current awards front-runner The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Steve McQueen’s Mangrove, The Mauritanian has more than enough gut punches before it’s over to keep you on the edge of your seat, or perhaps keel over in despair at the sheer scope of this legal injustice.

The Mauritanian is an excellently made film that bears no bones about its moral position; it’s less of a “rip-roaring drama” and more of a “stare open-mouthed in shock as the three leads find themselves increasingly out of their depths”. While it may rock your sense of truth and justice, The Mauritanian also introduces you to one of the most remarkable men of recent history.

18/24

Written by Jack Cameron

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Deadline – 1st Nov 2019

Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley and Tahar Rahim will support Benedict Cumberbatch in a new movie from The Last King of Scotland director Kevin Macdonald titled Prisoner 760. The film will be a drama based on a real story about a suspected terrorist kept in Guantanemo Bay.

THR – 1st Nov 2019

Sony Pictures Animation have announced that a sequel to their hugely popular Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Oscar-winning animated film will be released worldwide on 8th April 2022.

Twitter – 1st Nov 2019

Get Out stars Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield are set to star in a yet-to-be-titled drama from Warner Bros. about the activist and Black Panther member Fred Hampton. ‘Euphoria’ star Algee Smith will also star.

THR – 28th Oct 2019

2019 Oscar nominee Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) will play iconic actress Elizabeth Taylor in a film from Slumdog Millionaire writer Simon Beaufoy and directors Bert & Bertie (Troop Zero). The film will focus on Taylor’s AIDS activism in the 1980s and will be titled A Special Relationship.

THR – 28th Oct 2019

Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp director Peyton Reed has signed on to direct a third Ant-Man film for Marvel Studios.

THR – 1st Nov 2019

Former Spider-Man lead actor Andrew Garfield has been cast as the lead in the directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda for Netflix Original film tick, tick… BOOM!, an adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical off-broadway show.

Empire – 30th Oct 2019

Paul Schrader, the screenwriter behind Taxi Driver (1976) and the screenwriter-director behind First Reformed (2017), has cast Oscar Isaac as the lead in his next film The Card Counter. The picture will see Isaac play a gambler who seeks to reform a young man out for revenge.

THR – 29th Oct 2019

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a special guest at the UFC BMF championship weigh in on Friday to announce that he’ll be working alongside the Ultimate Fighting Championship to make a film on famed MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Johnson, who was himself a professional wrestler, will star as the lead and produce the film.

ESPN – 1st Nov 2019

Channing Tatum will star in and produce Soundtrack of Silence from Paramount Pictures. The project will re-team the filmmaker with the screenwriters and producers of his 2010 movie Dear John, and tells of the real-life story of a student who learns he is going deaf and memorises his favourite songs to help remember the most important memories in his life.

Variety – 1st Nov 2019

Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck is set to star in new Christine Jeffs (Sunshine Cleaning) film Every Breath You Take, a thriller set to co-star Sam Claflin, Michelle Monaghan and Veronica Ferres.

Variety – 31st Oct 2019

‘Game of Thrones’ creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have quit a partnership with Lucasfilm that would see the duo helm a trilogy of live-action Star Wars movies. The pair told of how they couldn’t dedicate themselves to the partnership given their commitments to Netflix in a statement released Monday.

THR – 28th Oct 2019

Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is reportedly still in discussions with Lucasfilm to helm his own trilogy of Star Wars movies, stating “we’re still engaged with Lucasfilm so we’ll wait and see”.

Deadline – 2nd Nov 2019

Patrick Schwarzenegger and Ike Barinholtz have joined the cast of upcoming Amy Poehler Neflix Original Moxie, which is set to be led by Hadley Robinson. The film is based upon the book of the same name by Jennifer Mathieu.

THR – 29th Oct 2019

A sequel to Netflix Original movie The Princess Switch has been given the go ahead, with production set to begin in the UK next month ahead of a 2020 release date. The film titled The Princess Switch: Switched Again will tell of Duchess Margaret (Vanessa Hudgens) unexpectedly inheriting the throne of Montenaro.

THR – 29th Oct 2019

Tank 432 director Nick Gillespie has assembled an ensemble of British TV and film talent for his next film Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break, with Alice Lowe (Sightseers), Kris Marshall (Love Actually) and Johnny Vegas (‘Benidorm’) heading up a group that also includes Tom Meeten, Katherine Parkinson, Kevin Bishop, Mandeep Dhillon, Craig Parkinson, Steve Oram and Pippa Haywood.

THR – 28th Oct 2019

Bill Condon, the director behind Dreamgirls (2006) and Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast remake, is to re-team with the “house of mouse” to make a new musical adaptation of famed novel “A Christmas Carol“. The picture, titled Marley, will focus on the perspective of character Jacob Marley and will have music written for it by Pocahontas Oscar-winning writer Stephen Schwartz.

THR – 28th Oct 2019

And finally…

Delta Air Lines this week came under criticism for cutting same-gender sexual acts from their cuts of popular 2019 releases Rocketman and Booksmart. The airline has since apologised and vowed to restore the scenes to their original films.

Deadline – 1st Nov 2019