Apple TV dropped the trailer for “Napoleon,” Monday, and while it does look like it is a very expensively made film, something just seems a little off.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, the film apparently follows Napoleon throughout his ascent to French emperor and military leader, his toxic, addictive marriage to his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), and his famous battles, according to the trailer. So, what I’m seeing is a boy film designed for boys, which boys can enjoy after they sit through the “Barbie” movie with us over the summer? Maybe?
My first big feeling is that Phoenix looks too tall. The whole point of Napoleon — at least in my mind — is that he was tiny and therefore psychotically insecure, hence the absurdity of his reign. Director Ridley Scott put Phoenix next to actor Tahar Rahim in the trailer, who is smaller than him, so I am deeply confused. Are we supposed to assume that Napoleon surrounded himself with very short men to make himself feel better? Maybe?
His wife (Kirby) does look taller than Napoleon in most scenes, so maybe it’s just a bad trailer? Either way, the whole thing looks like a couple of hours of chaos, and who doesn’t love that!
One thing we women will be able to enjoy is that Ridley Scott chose Phoenix for the lead. In my opinion, there is not a single thing that Phoenix can do wrong, so this feels like a fair balance for the “Barbie” movie. (RELATED: REVIEW: ‘Shoresy’ Is The ‘Letterkenny’ Spin-Off Taking North America By Storm)
It’ll probably end up being a really good movie, but this trailer just really didn’t do it for me. You can watch said trailer here: