"Napoleon review- thrilling biopic" Topic

-Phoenix makes a magnificent emperor in thrilling biopic

"Scott doesn't allow his troops to get bogged down mid-gallop in the muddy terrain of either fact or metaphysical significance…"

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"Phoenix plays Napoleon as a military genius and lounge lizard peacock who is incidentally no slouch on horseback.."

Planning to see it Sunday after Thanksgiving
Am not a Napoleon person historian but know he got tossed off horses often

I'll be interested to see if they use the trailer clip of Napoleon galloping in a charge in the film and whether they get it round the right way. Or, perhaps there'll be plot device to explain why everyone became left-handed for the charge – just like the Prussians hussars in Waterloo or maybe it's a sort of homage to Dino De Laurentiis.

I believe Ridley Scott (a la John Ford) will proclaim, "This is the way Napoleon should've been!"

Not the sack of potatoes we all know and love..

I have great hopes for this movie--not as a narrative, but just think of all the little snippets which will show up on YouTube with period music. For that matter, think of all the "Girls und Panzer" videos which will use music from this film.

Sounds like a fair review. I suspect we will all carp at the detail (I know I did on the trailer) but it has the whiff of something magnificent! I cannot wait.

Never has the word 'got' had so much meaning.

Just as "Patton" was weak on history but strong on character, so I am hoping for "Napoleon".

Another great movie. My dad took 12 year old me to see it having spent a lot of time persuading me that it would be all action. It wasn't but I was not disappointed. It took me years to realise what he was about. Clever man!

He certainly got the French flags all wrong. Big large tricolors with no embroidery or eagles. I am hoping the British are in shakos and not tricornes.

It's a film! It's Napoleonic! Stop moaning and enjoy! Non military/wargaming people are talking about Napoleon and the Napoleonic period! How often do they do that. Embrace it! We might never see another Napoleonic film for some time.

Yeah! The poor old Ancient/Roman Empire Wargamers and enthusiasts have to put up with the new Hannibal film. Certainly puts the flags into perspective.

I didn't know there was a new hannibal.film, is not very good?

I think it's fine to criticise the film in these forums of all places – we can criticise accuracy and still enjoy it – I still enjoy The Patriot despite how much it gets wrong and have no problems with pointing out these

New Hannibal film with Denzel Washington as the terror of Rome. Interesting.

Go tell the Phoenicians.

All that aside, where did the youth come up with this silly way of pronouncing "Biopic"?

If I may believe the (distinctly negative) review in the paper, Scott's said that history nerds are not part of the target audience. So he's presumably just as happy if everyone here stays away from it.

Why would anyone on this forum need to see Scott's film? We've got Kevin to tell us everything we could possibly need to know?

Er, the film has a 'British' ex-paratrooper as military adviser. Perhaps complainers should message him about the mistakes and inaccuracies? LOL

The Prussians arriving on Wellington's right flank did jar a bit. Never did notice if everyone was suddenly left handed, but many a film has flipped scenes, as the directors fear the audience might be confused by changed camera angles.

In WWII films the Allies always attack from the left of the screen and the Germans stay on the right. Eastern Front films tend to reverse that of course. Funny how it does really apply.

In practice, Sir Ridley gives us a very cogent version of the Waterloo campaign. Bonaparte faced with large armies across Europe. Decides to attack the British and Prussians north of the French border and defeat them separately. Weather is a significant factor. Wellington's strategy is predicated on the Prussians arriving. They're coming but a long way still to go. They're getting nearer. Bonaparte knows he has to risk everything to defeat Wellington before they arrive. He doesn't and is defeated. I suspect the vast majority of the viewing audience don't know or care whether the Prussians arrive from the right or left.

It would be interesting to hear the opinions of non-military-non-Napoleonic-enthusiast film goers. We (wargamers/military history enthusiasts) are used to films with incorrect facts etc, which obviously clouds our viewpoints of military-historical-period films. Still, at least we are taking about a Napoleonic movies, and in more than one thread too! LOL

I know several people who have seen it Gazzola. None of them is what I would consider a history buff. None of them thought it was a good movie. The number one complaint was the length. I've read a couple of "professional reviews" and they were also negative.

Not that this matters. Whether a movie is entertaining is something that each of us judges for ourselves. In making that determination each of us brings our own criteria for judging. This is a problem I have with "professional reviews". Their criteria may be different than mine. Their criteria though is no better than mine. So why does their opinion matter?

I saw it with a gang of chaps last week, some history nerds and some not. There were three haters, two mild 'not so bad' types, and one like. My main complaint was that it was rather dull, despite the occasional battle, and Phoenix was not very good. Very wooden.

I'm sure the extended version will be much better and enjoyed by everyone! LOL