Joaquin Phoenix made headlines this week for reportedly leaving the premiere of his latest film, “Napoleon.” The historical drama features Phoenix in the lead role as Napoleon Bonaparte, chronicling 32 years from the French Revolution in 1789 to Napoleon’s death in 1821 on St Helena. The narrative explores significant battles and delves into the romantic complexities with his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais.
Observers noted Phoenix exiting the film’s Paris premiere on Tuesday (November 14) before it commenced. Despite skipping interviews on the red carpet, he did pose for photos with co-star Vanessa Kirby. Elsa Keslassy, Variety’s Executive Editor of International, raised questions on Twitter about Phoenix’s departure, speculating whether he was still immersed in his character.
Reviews for Ridley Scott’s epic have been generally positive this week. Peter Debruge from Variety praised Scott’s visual artistry, particularly highlighting the unique depiction of war in Toulon’s battle scenes. While acknowledging the film as an impressive technical achievement, he commented on Phoenix’s portrayal, describing it as “oddly anti-charismatic.”
On the other hand, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian was captivated by Phoenix’s central performance, portraying Napoleon as an arch satirist, grinning mastermind, and proto-capitalist entrepreneur. He commended Phoenix’s depiction as an outsider and brilliant observer.
“Napoleon” hits cinemas on November 22, featuring a 157-minute theatrical edit, with a four-hour director’s cut scheduled for later release on Apple TV+.
