Carmen Getta

This is possibly one of the greatest anti war films- (made by Ridley Scott in “ anti dictatorship mode) …. “. Napoleon “ is definitely one of the greatest biopics made- comparable to David Leans “Lawrence of Arabia” .Not so much for the “wide cinema vision “- as for the spectacle of the phycology of intimacy - The theatre of war and the theatre of a Brigadeer General’s private life ,has never been so juxtaposed!! Here is a director on fire!!! and he fires away!!… From the “Duelists” one of my all time fave films- ( not withstanding because after seeing it with my Mother , she came home and imitated Tim Roths characterisation , thereby indicating my hereditary of acting !) but because Ridley Scott seems to elucidate such great performances from great talents- Sigourney in “Alien”- Russel in “Gladiator”, and of course Sarandon and Davis in “ Thelma and Louise” So what of Joaquin??,he’s Napoleon doesn’t so much act in front of the camera , as act directly in front of you !-,around you , behind you , above you , within you. Like Napoleon, he is in one place , yet everywhere all at once! It is very like when you go to the theatre, and one actors sheer presence seems to leap ahead of all the others, leaving the rest of the cast firmly in the background. ( only Rupert Everett comes near him) I have never seen this achieved on Film. I would call it acting in ‘FiveD’ .. So mesmeric is Joaquin’s performance, Although the tone he plays does not change much , (much like the curious choice not to show Napoleons chronological ageing in the film), whereas the intensity of he’s intensity does - Joaquin dials this ‘tone’ up and down with such masterful subtlety as to appear like a hologram, and it seems to seep into every dot on that picture and then overflow and seep deep within you the spectator . All other actors are merely backdrops to this mastery of disguise - Napoleons vulnerability, brutishness and self convictions - all contribute to this performance . The very power of this individual is laid bare for us all to see -and scrutinise . Vive Le Joaquin!! Definitely one of the greatest screen performances (of an anti hero )ever! And the music like the battle sequences is to die for !. Viva Ridley Scott - what an artist! And never had an Oscar! Napoleaons destiny and Joaquin’s destiny collide-Genius! Not to mention the fact that the zealousness of “the right to fight “ has never faded mirroring our present sorry condition.. You only need to see the cannonballs, fired at civilians in this film , not to mention the atrocities for the Horses ( all animals) etc to get my drift.!