Review by Paul Salfen
This is Paul Salfen with your KLAK Movie Minute. In theaters now is Napoleon, the epic Ridley Scott biopic on the diminutive French leader starring the not so diminutive and American-accented Joaquin Phoenix that is historically questionable but still an epic piece of cinema. While a lot focuses on the wild and crazy relationship between him and his wife that made him even crazier, played perfectly by Vanessa Kirby, this two and a half hour-plus battle-heavy film shies away from nothing and really does give you kind of what you expect- epic action in a way that we know and love Scott for and a bonkers performance that we know and love Phoenix for. Supposedly there is a 4 hour cut that probably makes more sense and would be more digestible in a two-part viewing, but for now we get a big screen experience that will for sure be a divisive watch amongst critics and viewers – but likely totally hated by the French. I personally found it a fascinating watch and exactly what I expected but have since found that many don’t agree. But if you go in knowing that it’s taking a lot of liberties with some questionable dialogue and some humorous and ridiculous actions by Napoleon that likely didn’t happen, it may just serve as some good entertainment under the “it is what it is” cinematic category. That’s it for this week. Join me next week and every week for another Movie Minute right here on 97.5 KLAK, AMFM Magazine, and RECRD.
