You want a historical epic? Only one name springs to mind. Ridley Scott. From Gladiator onwards, he’s been keeping the genre alive more or less single-handedly with his expansive, spectacular vision and absorbing characters. True, some of the films have been better than others, but the ambition behind his latest is only matched by its title character. Napoleon.
His version of the life of the Corsican corporal who trampled over most of 19th Europe has the lot — action, excitement, romance, tragedy — as well as the all-important combination of the public and private. Napoleon’s military career lasted just over 20 years, during which he invaded country after country, displaying a real genius for military tactics but eventually falling prey to General Winter, Russia’s not-so-secret but greatest weapon.
