This movie was just bad. Phoenix's portrayal, the storyline, everything.

TCTTS said:

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Brian Cox says Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in ‘NAPOLEON’ was “truly terrible.”

“It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think he’s well named. Joaquin…whackeen... whacky. It’s a sort of whacky performance.”

(https://t.co/qg18JY517v) pic.twitter.com/T21Mdb2KNY

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) April 17, 2024

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Cox chose violence.

An interesting Napoleon movie might have just focused on his 100 day campaign when he returned from his exile to Elba, convinced the French troops send to capture him to join him, restored himself as dictator of France, and then faced his final defeat at Waterloo.

100 tense days of Napoleon's final rise and fall and Europe freaking out that the war they thought they'd ended had returned.

Open with the retreat from Moscow and his first fall. Sprinkle in flashbacks to some of his greater victories and defeats if you like, to kick up the action.

TCTTS said:

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You asked, he listened.

Napoleon: The Director's Cut is now streaming with 48 minutes of glorious new footage. pic.twitter.com/xzKAuDf49W

— Apple TV (@AppleTV) August 29, 2024

Ridley Scott's NAPOLEON: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT has finally been released to stream on Apple TV. The runtime is 3 hours 24 minutes.https://t.co/dfi039O5yF pic.twitter.com/fW1loxXamr

— Reel Updates (@worldofreel) August 29, 2024

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Who the hell asked for more footage? What??

Finally got around to seeing this one, as it has been on my list for a long time.

Overall...disappointing. I agree with many that Phoenix was miscast. I will say, he did have a few one liners that were laugh out loud funny.

Maybe it's just me but WAY too many scenes of him and the wife sitting there looking lost and then delivering sad lines to each other. I agree with many that I wasn't really buying their relationship.

Some of the battle scenes were really well done and entertaining and that may be worth streaming it.

I couldn't help but keep thinking that the director/movie couldn't decide what he wanted the movie to be, given that SO much time was devoted to the weird Napoleon/wife relationship (unsuccessfully) but then also wanting to do epic battle scenes.

Overall I was mildly disappointed and feel like pushing it to the bottom of the watch list was the correct take. Maybe like a 5 or 6 out of 10.