So much potential squandered here, it was honestly upsetting. Dropping us into the story in 1793 gives us no sense of who Napoleon is and why people follow him. The movie is uninterested in making us understand Napoleon the leader and its portrayal of Napoleon the man is more boring than engaging. The spectacle of Austerlitz and Waterloo give the film some redeaming qualities but it feels more like a Cohen Brothers-esque series of vignettes than a cohesive narrative. I get the feeling Scott wanted to tell a story about love and monarchy but he is unable to commit to these themes as Napoleon’s life can’t be captured in such a limited scope.