‘Napoleon’ conquers French box office despite vicious reviews

Napoleon has made a strong start at the French box office despite some scathing reviews from French critics.

• READ MORE: How Vanessa Kirby became Napoleon’s empress: “Joaquin Phoenix and I laughed all the way through”

The film – which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the famed French emperor – has received largely positive reviews internationally, though some French critics have slated the film.

French GQ called it “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny”, while Le Figaro compared it to “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”.

Nevertheless, it took $1.019million (£810,000) during its opening day in France last week (via Variety) – accounting for nearly a third of international takings – before making a total $5.6million (£4.44million) over its first five days.

Its weekend takings also make France one of the biggest international markets for Napoleon, second behind the UK with $6.6million (£5.23million), according to ScreenDaily.

Last week, director Ridley Scott hit back at French critics of the film, telling the BBC: “The French don’t even like themselves”.

He added: “The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”

Scott also previously hit back at historian Dan Snow’s criticism of the film, after the latter broke down Napoleon‘s historical inaccuracies.

“Get a life,” the director said. “I tend to be visual above all things, before the written word.”

Napoleon focuses on the emperor’s rise to power and his relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby). The film also stars Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles and Rupert Everett.

The film is currently in cinemas, though is due for release on Apple TV+ at a later date, with Scott promising a four-hour director’s cut.

In NME‘s four-star review of the film, we said: “The details of historical truth be damned: this mighty adventure should be seen on the biggest screen possible. Charge on horseback to the multiplex to savour it.”

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