Reddit's Take: Did Ridley Scott Really Spend $200M on Napoleon to Just... Troll France?

Summary:

• Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott, received mixed reviews from the public and critics.
• Some critics argue that the movie was a boring biopic, while others suggest it was an expensive way of trolling the French
• However, the screenwriter David Scarpa cited Milos Forman's Amadeus as inspiration for the film, aiming to approach Napoleon in a comedic manner.

After its release, Napoleon received a fairly average Rotten Tomatoes score, with about 60% of critics and 59% of viewers giving it positive reviews. The mediocre reviews were most likely not what Ridley Scott or his fans expected.

But Napoleon is what it is: there are opinions that it turned out to be another boring biopic despite having a decent budget, being directed by a brilliant director, and starring A-list talents.

Not to mention that Napoleon himself was incredibly important and one of the most interesting people of all times — only to end up becoming meme material for frustrated movie fans around the world.

While these complaints are valid, fans suggested a surprising take on the movie. What if it was Ridley Scott’s very expensive way of trolling the French?

Why Was Napoleon So Bad?

A stereotype of mutual dislike for the French and the English is not something unheard of. Which is why one Reddit theory suggested that Scott, as an Englishman and probably a Napoleon hater, decided to simply mock the historical figure rather than actually create a great biopic.

And it’s hard to disagree that there are a lot of funny and even hilarious scenes in Napoleon. Too many for a serious historical drama, to our liking.

David Scarpa, the screenwriter of Napoleon, openly said to IndieWire that his and Scott’s inspiration for the movie was Milos Forman’s Amadeus — a biopic that was notoriously liberal when it came to historical accuracy and... well, toiler humor.

“It was a movie that approached someone they would normally approach in a reverent way, in an irreverent way. Mozart was this almost infantile figure, he wasn’t handled in an overly fussy manner. And that was the approach that we wanted to take as well,” said Scarpa.

While this may be an interesting theory, most of the fans still believe that Napoleon simply wasn’t such a great movie.

“What was the point of the film? To be a historical retelling of events? A drama? A comedy? A romance? To comment on Napoleon’s character, or to rectify the incorrect ideas people have about him? Because the film does none of these things. It’s just pointless, and makes me wonder why Scott even felt the need to make it if he so clearly had 0 interest in the person,” Redditor PatDatA55 says.

If you want to make up your own mind, watch Napoleon on Apple TV, Google Play, and Amazon Prime Video.

Source: IndieWire