The Ending Of Napoleon Explained

The Ending Of Napoleon Explained
Story by Rick Stevenson  •

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The Ending Of Napoleon Explained

The Ending Of Napoleon Explained
What You Need To Remember About The Plot Of Napoleon
What Happens At The End Of Napoleon?
Defeat At Waterloo Leads To Shame And Exile
What The Ending Of Napoleon Means
Destiny, Providence, And Ego
The Myth Of Great Men
©Provided by Looper
No one makes historical epic films quite like Ridley Scott, and he's delivered a new one unto Hollywood in 2023 with "Napoleon." He's had highs in the genre, like "Gladiator" and "Kingdom of Heaven," and he's had some duds, like "Exodus: Gods and Kings" and "Robin Hood." "Napoleon" falls somewhere in the middle of that pack -- too stunning in its visual grandeur to be seen as a disappointment, but too tonally and narratively disjointed to feel complete.

Joaquin Phoenix is great as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, but he doesn't get as much room to stretch as fans of the actor may have hoped for. Vanessa Kirby arguably steals the show right out from under him as the other protagonist, Napoleon's first wife and lifetime love, Jos;phine. As you'd expect from an epic of this scale, the rest of the cast is massive and littered with talented actors, from the always-excellent Ben Miles to ;douard Philipponnat's subtle performance as Russia's Tsar Alexander I.

"Napoleon" is a gargantuan film with a somehow-even-longer director's cut on the way. And since the end of the eponymous conqueror's career is the part he's most infamous for, the movie also delivers a lengthy final act. Here's everything you need to understand about the ending of "Napoleon," what it means, and how it compares to the true story.

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