Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Waterloo (1970)
Director: Sergei Bondarchuk
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Visually impressive, but a rather silly attempt to explain Napoleon, tracing his career from exile in Elba, through resurgence to power, to his defeat by Wellington at Waterloo. The main problem seems to lie in Bondarchuk's reliance on eye-catching gimmickry, and in his indecision as to whether to make a spectacular epic about nations at war, or an intimate portrayal of Bonaparte as a person. The early scenes, with less action, suffer most from this fault, although the whole thing is also blighted by Steiger's eccentrically mannered performance.Author: GA
User reviews of this film
-
- Neville said...
- Posted on Feb 03 2009 20:16 Christopher Plummer reprises his aloof Captain von Trapp, this time as the arrogantly aloof first Duke of Wellington. Waterloo wants to be an epic battle spectacular at the same time as an introverted psychological portrait of the two adversaries. Some misguided camera trickery aside, the battle itself is accomnplished and duly bloody, whilst the closenes of the result is never left in any doubt. Rod Steiger remains a puzzle as the choice to play Napoleon, a fidgety, eccentric portrayal that is ultimately more suggestive of inner madness than genius. The ponderous early scenes (which allow for an eloquent cameo by Orson Welles as the bloated Louis XVIII) are not rounded off with Napoleon's final capture and exile to St Helena. At the battle's close with mud, death and rain closing in he climbs into his carriage and is driven enigmatically away. An odd conclusion to a strangely incomplete film.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Sergei Bondarchuk
Producer: Dino De Laurentiis
Cast: Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer, Orson Welles, Jack Hawkins, Virginia McKenna, Dan O'Herlihy, Rupert Davies, Philippe Forquet, Michael Wilding full cast
Genre(s): Epics
Duration: 132 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations












What do you think?
Post your review now