Review: 'Napoleon' captures the epic scale of the French emperor's exploits and the petty jealousies of his psyche

Unlike its title figure, director Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” isn’t small — but, like the French emperor, it’s ambitious.

Scott — who has created worlds of history (“Gladiator,” “Kingdom of Heaven”) and the future (“Alien,” “Blade Runner”) — takes us into the trenches with the Corsican-born gunnery officer (played by Joaquin Phoenix) who figured out that the judicious use of cannons could take down an enemy from a reasonable distance. It nearly happens to him in one of the movie’s first battles, when he charges toward a fortress on his horse, and a cannonball hits the steed square in the chest. (Presumably, this was special effects, because one can only imagine the uproar if Scott did it for real.) 

The script, by David Scarpa (“All the Money in the World”), dutifully takes us from high point to high point, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises through the ranks during the French Revolution and after, taking advantage of the chaos brought by the guillotine and the “Reign of Terror” to position himself as a strongman. Ultimately, in a country that just got rid of its king, Napoleon works himself into the job of emperor.

Early on, Napoleon meets a noblewoman recently sprung from the Bastille — Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby). Their story isn’t the fairy-tale romance, since Joséphine had other lovers while Napoleon was away shooting cannons at the Egyptian pyramids and such. Napoleon’s attitude toward Joséphine is more of a spoiled child, jealous and sniveling, than ostensibly the most powerful man in Europe. Things come to a head when Napoleon pressures Joséphine to bear him a son and heir.

Phoenix’s performance is a curious mix of bravado and petulance, capturing both his military smarts and his personal foibles. He’s nicely matched by Kirby, who quietly manages her emperor’s mercurial moods with a diplomatic tone and a tigress’ purr. 

Much of Scott’s movie focuses on Napoleon’s military prowess and his hubris — both in his invasion of Russia, where he started with 600,000 soldiers and limped home with 40,000, and the climactic battle of Waterloo, where he was completely outclassed in tactics by the Duke of Wellington (Rupert Everett).

It’s in those battle scenes where “Napoleon” earns our attention. There are few directors still working who can bring the spectacle, the sheer bigness of a war epic like this, the way Scott does. He makes every cannon blast hit home.

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‘Napoleon’

★★★

Opens Wednesday, November 22, in theater everywhere. Rated R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and brief language. Running time: 158 minutes.