Can you really have cinema if there’s no Ridley Scott historical epic waiting in the wings? Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic, Napoleon, just had its first trailer release, and the film looks amazing…though I do have one big concern for the movie.
If you thought Hollywood had forgotten about the historical epic genre, here comes Ridley Scott to give you a reminded they haven’t.
Napoleon, Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic staring Joaquin Phoenix as the legendary French emperor and conqueror, just released its first and highly anticipated trailer, and it looked simply stunning as the visuals, costumes, set designs, casting, and cinematography looked as great as you’d suspect from Ridley Scott. However, even though the trailer looked great, I’m a little concerned about how condensed the history behind this film will be.
Before I get into my worry, I have to applaud Ridley Scott, Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby (Empress Joséphine Bonaparte), the rest of the cast, and the crew behind the cameras as this trailer showcased the passion these people have put into the movie.
I know it’s only a trailer, but the sets of France, Paris, Egypt, and the various battles on display had some incredible visuals, practical effects (at least they looked like practical effects), and the destructive scope you’d expect a movie depicting that time period to have, while the casting and costume designs made these legendary historical figures, such as Napoleon, Empress Joséphine, Marie Antoinette, come to life.
Or, as I should say, come back to life.
Anyways, it’s WAY TOO EARLY to tell if this movie will be more like Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner, and The Last Duel (aka: fantastic) or akin to 1492: Conquest of Paradise or Exodus: Gods And Kings (aka: hilariously bad), but so long as it doesn’t deviate from the history of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars too much (which Scott tends to do for his epics), it’ll be fine.
(Apple-Napoleon-Official Trailer)
That’s not where my concern comes from for this film. It’s how much history Scott is seemingly covering.
As is made abundantly clear in the opening sequence of the trailer, this film is going to go all the way back to the French Revolution and the execution of Queen Marie Antoinette to document Napoleon’s, who was a mere artillery officer about to make his name during the Siege of Toulon (which was also mentioned in the trailer) at the time, dramatic rise from artillery officer to Emperor of France…and all of Europe along with it.
Though, that dramatic rise didn’t happen overnight and A BUNCH of MASSIVE historical events, such as the French revolutionaries overthrowing of the Bourbon dynasty of kings with the executions of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Napoleon’s heroics at the Siege of Toulon, Napoleon’s campaign in Italy against the Austrians, Napoleon’s expedition into Egypt, the collapse of the French Republic and the Directory into the French Empire, Napoleon using the chaos of the Director and Republic to become the Emperor, Napoleon’s many battles against the Coalition forces, Napoleon’s conquest of Eastern Europe, Germany, Spain, Northern Europe, Napoleon’s disastrous Russian campaign, Napoleon’s subsequent defeat at the Battle of Leipzig, his abdication and exile, his return from exile and as Emperor of France, and then his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.
Whew, I’m tired from just writing all of that, so having to make a 3-hour movie (at most) about all of these events (which I condensed dramatically) is going to be extremely hard. And especially so if Napoleon’s relationship with Josephina is put at the forefront of the film.
Now, I really like the decision to dramatically increase Josephina’s role in Napoleon’s life for she was the second most important and powerful person in all of France during this time period being married to the emperor, yet she often gets pushed to the bench by historians when discussing this period.
(Apple-Napoleon-Official Trailer)
Her life and role in Napoleon’s rise to power is extremely important to know and portray if you wish to capture the personality and humanity of the great emperor.
Nevertheless, adding a much more prominent role for Joséphine amongst the many historical events I named above is a task of extraordinary difficult, and I’m really excited to see how Ridley Scott is able to tell the entire story of Napoleon in just 3-hours.
I can’t wait to see this film when it comes out November 22nd!
Images Source: Featured Image: (Apple) (Napoleon — Official Trailer – YouTube)
In Text Image 1: (Apple) (Napoleon — Official Trailer – YouTube)
In Text Image 2: (Apple) (Napoleon — Official Trailer – YouTube)
