Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Napoleon review says that director Ridley Scott has reached his apex with this intriguing examination of one of the most enigmatic and outrageous leaders of the 1700s. Joaquin Phoenix is peculiarly perfect in the lead.

I never thought I’d say this about a film, but I can’t wait for Ridley Scott’s four-plus hour director’s cut of Napoleon.

It’s such an expansive subject, and Scott’s cinematic coverage is so intriguing, that with Napoleon’s 2.5 hour runtime, I couldn’t get enough.

I’ll admit I was a bit dubious about the casting of Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic French military icon, mostly because he was reported be going with his natural American accent—he couldn’t be bothered to get an accent coach?

But with most of the cast playing Germans, French and Russians using standard Mid-Atlantic accents, authenticity was clearly not the goal. Surprisingly, the film doesn’t suffer from that. Napoleon stands alone in history, and Phoenix’s interpretation of him stands alone in film.

Napoleon review — Does it live up to the hype?

What Napoleon achieved in France, rising from relative Corsican obscurity to become an all-powerful commander and Emperor of France, then facing exile on a barren island only to escape and return to power again, is a quite the mercurial feat.

Punctuate that with his outrageously volatile relationship with Joséphine (played masterfully by Vanessa Kirby), and you have an epic tale to tell. If the editing leaves audiences a bit confounded, it’s understandable—there’s just so much juicy material to pack into one film.

I would suggest viewers read up on Napoleon, even if it only involves skimming the Wikipedia notes, before settling in for this riveting cinematic event—it will decrease your confusion and increase your awareness of the utter havoc one audacious man can wreak on the world.

Scott has always been both revered and skewered for his graphic and unforgettable battle scenes, and Napoleon could be the apex of them all. More than gore (although make no mistake, there’s plenty of that) they rivet attention with insights into military strategy and personal dynamics, giving them unique and fascinating dimension.

But at the core of Napoleon is his manic fascination with his lover, wife and ex Josephine. Kirby is sublimely layered, while Phoenix is creepily unhinged. It’s a portrayal of a relationship unlike any you’ve ever seen.

Which is to say that in my opinion Scott may have reached his peak with Napoleon. I can almost forgive him for the unconscionable The Last Duel. Almost…

If this Napoleon review makes you want to march down to your local cineplex, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Napoleon review says that director Ridley Scott has reached his apex with this intriguing examination of one of the most enigmatic and outrageous leaders of the 1700s. Joaquin Phoenix is peculiarly perfect in the lead.