Joaquin Phoenix attempts to portray Napoleon Bonaparte, the infamous French general and emperor, but it feels superficial. In the context of the film’s unravelling plot, he is excessive in his expressions and body language, which makes him look like a man-child who is just miserable and angry.

This causes us to lose the nuanced understanding of the ruthless yet strategic ruler we have come to know from history classes. Yet, I believe that it’s not Joaquin’s fault but the shortcomings of the script.

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My main issue with Napoleon is how unbalanced it is – it’s like Ridley Scott tried to make two different films at once, alternating between a character study of Napoleon and the love of his life Josephine, and an epic historical drama of Napoleon’s rise and fall from power.

Many of Napoleon’s great ventures, such as his Italian campaign, are left off-screen and are brushed off through single lines of dialogue. Moreover, many years of history are skipped without a mention, causing one to feel like Scott was trying to rush the viewer through the life of Napoleon.

The mix of exaggeration and seriousness results in many moments of the film being unintentionally hilarious. All of this leaves the viewer with an aftertaste of uncertainty about the film’s intention, unsure if it is either to glorify or ridicule Napoleon.