The trailer of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which has been much-awaited, has done its rounds in cyberspace, showcasing the life of arguably one of history’s most is one of the few self-consumed men in history: one of the most mystical and controversial persons, the French general Napoleon. In the broom epic, which features Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, the viewers can expect the audience to learn a lot about the ambitious and multifaceted figures of the period, Napoleon Bonaparte: how he battled his rise, military victories and failures, as well as his relations with the fair sex.
Having made a name for himself telling some of the most compelling stories in such period pieces as Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven, Ridley Scott is yet again returning to his oeuvre and this time it is the big canvas once again. It does not only focus on the military aspects of the emperor, but also him as a wife, with his first wife, Joséphine, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby. The film will seek to restore the emperor’s ambition, genius, and emotional fragility, who is otherwise generalized as an omnipresent figure.
As it happens, Joaquin Phoenix, who is best known to the audience for his extremely brutal and shocking acts, seems to have convincingly portrayed all the facets of the man, exuding both power and delicateness of the emperor. Judging from the trailer, Phoenix seems to be in control of this yielding power that is coursing through him and that is the sickness of the icon of history whom Luke portrays very well.
The shots shown in the trailer can only be described as awe-inducing with large scale battle sequences, beautiful period costumes and extensive and well detailed sets. While the period action set pieces may be Scott’s signature but more so he captures emperor Napoleon uncovered in the other parts of the plot making it a happy medium of is an appealing combination of a historical drama and a biopic which would cater to fans of both including the grand scale period films and the quiet, character driven ones.
Napoleon is set to hit theaters on November 22, 2024, with Apple TV + hosting the film in the second of the magic seasons. With Ridley Scott directing and a cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, the film is already being hailed as an awards season game changer in 2025 enticing the viewers with all the historical drama and ample emotional quotient and history blended perfectly together.
A visual treat is guaranteed for the followers of history based films.
