Political satire is a tried and tested tradition in historic British culture. From 1980 to 1987, the two series "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" perfectly showed the bitter confrontation of the struggle at the top of the political hierarchy, and the lines were even more scathing and sharp, which made people breathtaking. This tradition of political satire seems to have long been commonplace for the British. So, what would they have been when they faced Napoleon?Napoleon's lifetime record can be said to be a brief history of the constant confrontation with Britain. From 1793 to 1815, Britain was an important component and participant in the anti-French coalition. And the audacity Napoleon led France to seven wars throughout Europe, winning five. In the eyes of the British at the time, Napoleon was undoubtedly an opponent to be reckoned with. Therefore, when Hollywood director Ridley Scott, who has a good reputation, filmed "Napoleon", it undoubtedly aroused the interest of many people. This film is not only another epic masterpiece directed by the 86-year-old Scott, but also another masterpiece that will hit next year's Oscars after "Oppenheimer" and "Killer of the Flower Moon".
These three films all choose historical figures and real events as their themes, and all contain reflections on personal fate and profound humanistic care. These factors make "Napoleon" a highly anticipated film. Ridley Scott has been a director for 50 years, and the subject matter and spectacular scenes he has dealt with have become small cases for him. This also provides an extremely stable guarantee for the war scenes in "Napoleon". The film recreates scenes from six major battles in Napoleon's life: the Battle of Toulon, the Egyptian Expedition, the Battle of Marengo, the Battle of Austerlitz, the Battle of Borodino, and the Battle of Waterloo. To recreate these epic battle scenes, Scott used 11 cameras running at the same time. The highly restored castles, estates and natural landscapes make the audience feel as if they are in the Napoleonic era. The roar of cannonballs, galloping horses and shouts on the battlefield made the whole battle scene extremely real. "Napoleon": Dismantling the traditional impression, Lei Dao's alternative hero When the spectacular live-action shooting is shown on the big screen, the audience can't help but feel the magnificent atmosphere of the times.
In the scene of the confrontation between the two sides, rows of soldiers fell, the human wall was enclosed, and the living soldiers filled the vacancy, as if people felt the cruelty of war in an immersive way. The scenes of the fighting in the artillery fire are vividly recreated, and the audience can easily imagine the pain and fear of the wounded soldiers. Such visual impact and emotional resonance make the adrenaline rush instantly. However, Napoleon, who many famous directors considered "difficult to film", was not only because of the difficulty of shooting grand and complex scenes, but also because of Napoleon's controversial conquest. The greater challenge also came from Napoleon's own complex character. The director's resolute response to this shows his uninhibited and firm: "Were you there at the time, shut up if you weren't there." This may be why he no longer wants to present the heroic hymns that the audience expects again after many hero-themed blockbusters. His Napoleon is not a traditional non-fiction biography. Napoleon in the film is no longer a stereotypical military leader, a strategic genius, and a rebel against the divine power of kings, but a theatrical life driven by ambition and honor, and falling from the top in middle age.
Director Lei unabashedly reveals Napoleon's "lies" in the film. For example, Napoleon claimed that he had never initiated a war, but then led 600,000 troops to Russia. When he was finally exiled to St. Helena, when he boasted to the child that he had burned Moscow with arms, he was retorted: "Everyone knows that Moscow was burned by Russia itself." Many of the details in the film dissolve the stereotype of Napoleon as the leader of the empire, portraying him more like an ordinary man who is sometimes conceited and sometimes vulnerable. This is what touches people's hearts the most. In Lei Dao's previous works, the protagonist in "Gladiator" fell from a famous general to a gladiator who endured humiliation, a savior of revenge, and a hero in the traditional impression;Berion in "Heavenly Dynasty" is handsome and has great military achievements, and he is a soldier who makes foreign princesses on the expedition admire.
However, for Napoleon, his fascination with Josephine can be called a licking dog, and his strange muttering like an unreasonable child during his courtship, Lei Dao even used clever filming techniques to highlight Napoleon's "short" image in history, making him look out of place. Such a movie is not only visually shocking, but also emotionally touching. Through the re-deconstruction of the traditional heroic image of Napoleon, Lei Dao allows the audience to see a fuller and more realistic character image, subverting the traditional concept of heroes to the fullest. "Napoleon": The emotional turmoil of a generation of emperorsIn the movie "Napoleon", we see an extremely conceited Napoleon, who shows unparalleled courage and military strategy on the battlefield. He once confidently said, "If I make a mistake, then I will definitely admit it, the problem is that I never made a mistake." This self-confidence and courage made him a military genius. However, when he stormed Moscow only to find that he had occupied only an empty city, his inner turmoil and confusion were on full display.
Even when he woke up in the cold wind in the middle of the night, he maintained a calm expression, but the inner contradictions and uneasiness deeply touched the hearts of the audience. And in terms of feelings, Napoleon again showed an unusually naïve and naïve side. After years of sleeping with Josephine, but the other party failed to have children, which made him both resentful and troubled by political pressure, Napoleon even questioned Josephine in public at the dinner, and even singled out "You are obviously not only a man". This emotional entanglement allows the audience to have a deeper understanding of the complex heart of this generation of emperors. As the only woman Napoleon's love in his life, Josephine was a single mother with children and a master of communication between nobles. Her abilities made her a loyal booster for Napoleon's political career, but her charisma and ambition also made her emotionally unfocused. Before Napoleon became emperor, she was his bridge to the true nobility, but after that Josephine was limited in the help he could provide. This tragic sense of fatalism is destined to make the emotional drama between Napoleon and Josephine a wonderful passage in the life of this generation of emperors.
The movie "Napoleon" did not hesitate to satisfy everyone's curiosity, with gorgeous palaces, exquisite utensils, and gorgeous costumes, the unpredictable legendary queen. If you want to shoot women, then Ridley Scott is definitely a pioneer in defending gender equality. In 1991's "Flowers of the End", women stunningly play the leading role as criminals, this enjoyable off-line road movie, the two heroines fight back against the humiliation from male power with a presumptuous attitude. And in "The Last Duel", Ridley Scott dug out a true story of the Middle Ages, swept away the dust, put the most neglected women in the knighthood at the center of the story, and used a Rashomon-like narrative to review a duel triggered by **, for the first time, the women of that era won the crown of men fighting for honor through the screen, and told their own stories and emotions as an independent individual. In Ridley Scott's "Napoleon", Vanessa Kirby's interpretation surprises the audience. Her role as the queen is not just an ornament, she shows elegance and cunning, making people feel like they are in the middle of a mysterious feline show.
When Josephine first met Napoleon, she mocked him for not fitting into the dress of the banquet, but on the other hand, she revealed an ambitious gaze, as if she were observing her prey. As she spent her years with Napoleon, Vanessa's melancholy and uneasiness in her eyes vividly showed the struggles and confusions of this woman in the great time. As a result, Napoleon is not only surprising for its allure of historical figures, exciting war scenes, and twists and turns of love, but also for its ability to portray complex characters from more than 200 years ago in a way that still lingers with today's audiences and inspires boundless curiosity about Napoleon. Director Scott's ability to portray historical figures so well and grasp the heartstrings of the audience is remarkable in itself. He succeeded in presenting Napoleon, a legendary figure, and filled the audience with infinite curiosity about him. "Napoleon" filmed by Director Lei is not only a film and television work with historical themes, but also an in-depth excavation and reinterpretation of historical figures.
Through Vanessa Kirby's vivid interpretation of the queen, the audience not only sees a beautiful and attractive woman, but also feels her inner contradictions and struggles. The elegance and cunning she displays, as well as the complex love entanglement with Napoleon, make the audience full of curiosity and desire to explore this history. In "Napoleon", the audience can not only feel the charm of historical figures, but also immerse themselves in the tense and exciting war scenes. Director Lei successfully outlined the war-torn era through wonderful lens language and tight plot rhythm, making the audience feel as if they were in it and felt the tension and intensity at that time. This audio-visual impact gives the audience a strong resonance and emotional connection to the film. As you can see from the film, Ridley Scott has a very good grasp of the details, not only recreating the atmosphere of the Napoleonic court through carefully arranged scenes, but also outlining an elegant and cunning queen image through Vanessa Kirby's superb acting skills. In the process of appreciating the film, the audience not only felt the weight of history, but also deepened their understanding and understanding of Napoleon and the characters around him.
Through "Napoleon", the audience will be able to see the complex characters of that era more than 200 years ago, and feel the charm and magic of history. And director Scott's ability to re-present this complex image of historical figures in front of the audience and arouse the audience's infinite curiosity about history is a very remarkable achievement in itself. In general, "Napoleon" is not only a film and television work, but also a deep excavation and reinterpretation of history. In the process of watching the movie, the audience can not only feel the charm of history, but also have a strong interest and curiosity in historical figures. This re-examination and presentation of history has made the film leave a deep imprint in the hearts of the audience and become a bright pearl in film and television works.