Plot: Ridley Scott's ambitious attempt to portray Napoleon is a monotone epic covering decades of French history immediately following the birth of the United States. The Colonies don't win their independence without the support of the French, yet Scott focuses on the tumultuous, decade-long French Revolution without so much as a tip of the hat toward the recently concluded American Revolution. The film focuses on a man confident in his abilities as a military strategist, infused with terrific ambition, and a desire to bring Europe peace through war. A figure who resonates centuries after his time, the Napoleon represented here by Joaquin Phoenix presents a dour man who through sheer will wins the affection of the love of his life, Josephine. However, Napoleon is pulled by an obsession stronger than his love for Josephine. His desire for acceptance by the aristocracy of the other major European powers and their petty conflicts. It leads to his making war to extend French control beyond her borders. General turned Emperor, Napoleon seeks to achieve through conquest what he could not otherwise, but it leads to exile, resurrection, and eventually downfall.
Alternative Plot: "Napoleon" is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte's relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.
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