Ridley Scott has spent the past 15 years making some of the most divisive films of his career. From 2012's Prometheus and 2017's Alien: Covenant to even stranger films like The Counselor, the current chapter of his filmography has been marked by surprising artistic choices. Last November, that trend continued when he released his latest historical epic, Napoleon, a Joaquin Phoenix-led blockbuster that explores the ups and downs of Napoleon Bonaparte's military career and his turbulent marriage to his first wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).
When the film hit theaters, some viewers were disappointed by its disinterest in the individual battles and brutality of its protagonist's military conquests. Others, like myself, were delighted by its cynical sense of humor and its taste for romantic melodrama. Everyone seemed to agree it was narratively uneven. Scott, meanwhile, spent a considerable portion of Napoleon's press tour teasing the much longer extended cut he still had in his back pocket.
Now, less than a year later, Apple TV+ has quietly released Napoleon: Director's Cut. The new version comes with much more footage and is well worth seeking out, regardless of whether you were one of Napoleon's defenders or critics last year.
The runtime for the director's cut clocks in at a whopping 3 hours and 28 minutes, which is around 50 minutes longer than the theatrical cut. One of its more noteworthy additions is new scenes with Kirby's Josephine set before her fateful meeting with Phoenix's Napoleon. These scenes, which include her arrest during the Reign of Terror, offer greater context of the position she’s in when she accepts Napoleon's marriage proposal, which informs many of her later decisions.
Other plot points and sequences are given a much-needed chance to breathe. Despite the theatrical cut’s sizable 157-minute runtime, it still felt like it had been cut to within an inch of its life, all while barely scratching the surface of its legendary subject. The director's cut has, at the very least, addressed the former issue.
While one’s opinion on the quality of the new cut is ultimately subjective, it’s worth noting that very few filmmakers have as strong a track record as Scott when it comes to releasing different versions of their movies. His alternate cuts of Blade Runner and Kingdom of Heaven are generally regarded as two of the most worthwhile in Hollywood history, and in both cases, Scott's cuts have rehabilitated those movies' reputations. While not as seismic in their impact as those two famous cuts, Scott's alternate versions of Black Hawk Down, Legend, The Counselor, and even Gladiator also offer fascinating — and sometimes better — experiences than their theatrical iterations. Scott is one of the few directors who’s proven why alternate cuts are sometimes necessary.
Early reactions to Napoleon: Director's Cut have been largely positive, although we’ll have to wait to see if it has a tangible impact on the historical epic's reputation. That may depend on how well the new version manages to break into the public consciousness; Apple hasn't put much effort into promoting it.
That shouldn't stop you from seeking out the new Napoleon. If Ridley Scott has proven one thing throughout his career, it's that his preferred versions of his movies shouldn't ever be discounted.
Napoleon: Director's Cut is streaming on Apple TV+.
