I absolutely hated this movie! Firstly, it was awfully boring! I'm sure a general with Napolen's stature would have passion and charisma even at the smallest level! But Joaquin Phoenix was terrible in this film. I actually think he is way over rated! Other boring elements -the plot, the dialogues, the general tone of the movie. It is as one reviewer said, seemed like a love story and the of focus on the "philandering" heroine. Vanessa's character was also ghastly boring, you can tell she was acting! Her eyes show that she herself was bored about her role. Even the battle scenes were flat, not a lot of excitement to be illicited, what a awful waste of time watching this film. I enjoyed The Last Kingdom more, the fight/battle scenes, the sword fights, magnificent, unlike this Ridley film. Don't get me wrong, I adored "Gladiator!, it has heart, it has excitement and most of all, it has Russell Crowe! But Joaquin, sorry to say was the worst actor I have seen this year in a big movie. The only positive thing here is the colour palette, though, again, if the aim was to generate melancholy and boredom, then it hands down achieved it. if you have not seen it, better not, you have other films to enjoy, not this one, a very forgettable one!