Tag Archives: Ridley Scott

Review: Napoleon (2023)

Nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design.

I won’t be writing a long review for this because I fear that if I do, it would sound like I’m just a hater. This nearly three-hour odyssey offers glimpses of Napoleon’s brilliance amidst a sea of sluggish storytelling.

I’ve read a few accounts about Napoleon, and naturally, I’d expected some epic battles and grand conquests, only to find myself tangled in a web of sexual repression, marital infidelity, and the mundane daily life of our characters.

While the movie’s visuals and production design dazzle, the narrative just falls short for me. Joaquin Phoenix delivers a commendable portrayal of Napoleon, despite the distraction of his noticeably older appearance and weird accent.

My main issue, as I’ve mentioned earlier, is its pacing. The film just drags on. Period drama enthusiasts may find themselves disappointed by the sluggish pacing and the lackluster performances overall. 

Though the movie captures some elements of Napoleon‘s complexity, it falls short in historical accuracy and fails to prioritize the most significant aspects of his life and career. While it may entertain those looking for a fictionalized take on history, history buffs may find themselves frustrated by its deviation from the truth.

In the end, “Napoleon” offers glimpses of greatness but ultimately fails to deliver a truly captivating cinematic experience. Two stars for effort, but I truly believe that this character deserves better treatment.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Produced by: Ridley Scott, Kevin J. Walsh, Mark Huffam, Joaquin Phoenix
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Rupert Everett, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, John Hollingworth, Youssef Kerkour, Sinead Cusack, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Phil Cornwell, Édouard Philipponnat, Jannis Niewohner, Miles Jupp, Edward Bennett etc…

Review: Prometheus (2012)

via wikipedia

via wikipedia

This Ridley Scott’s comeback film centers on the crew of spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map that led them towards an unexplored intergalactic world. Archeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) were inspired by the inscriptions they found in a 32,000 year old cave pointing them towards the answer to human’s existential question that they convince multibillionaire Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) to fund the trip to this distant cosmos with Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), the robot David (Michael Fassbender) and captain Janek (Idris Elba) joining in for the ride.

I thought the first half of the film was truly compelling particularly the overwhelming ideas that the cast and ‘you’ may ponder upon (the existence of man, the origin of aliens and all) but it became unsteady towards the end. It has quite a few plot holes. Suddenly, I feel that most of the dialogues became meaningless with the characters doing irrational stuff, which may perhaps lead to a sequel.

There is still so much to like about this film though. Michael Fassbender for one steals the show as the well-mannered David. Noomi Rapace is decent enough while Theron and Pearce were quite a delight even if their character lacks development. In addition, I would like to say how bothered I am by the make-up that drowned Pearce almost instantly. There are also the stunning visuals and the extraordinary soundscape that I felt like I was transported into another dimension. The cinematography was divine! Truly, Scott is a master in visuals.

I feel that the film has a touch of cliché after watching it but I thought it was intelligent and somehow original despite the nod towards Alien. It ain’t finish as we’re up to the inevitable sequel and I’m actually excited about it. I have not seen a film quite like this in a long time and I couldn’t care less if the ending was a bit weak as long as there’s a sequel in the near future.

Rating: 7/10

Director: Ridley Scott

Casts: Roomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

First posted at the Pinoy Exchange Official Movie Reviews