Waterloo, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk, is a historical drama film about the final battle of the Napoleonic Wars, the Battle of Waterloo. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies about the Napoleonic Wars due to its accuracy on both the historical event itself and the historical figures involved.
The Battle of Waterloo is one of the most famous battles of the Napoleonic Wars because it is most known for being Napoleon’s final defeat. Escaping from Elba and going back onto French soil after 100 days on March 1, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte had the full intent of conquering back what he believed was rightfully his. It was not as easy, since the Congress of Vienna would not abide by his negotiations once so ever. They then for the first time in European history declared war specifically on Napoleon himself instead of a country.
Napoleon had about 120,000 men, The Duke of Wellington had 100,000 men from Britain, Germany and the Netherlands, while Marshal Blucher, assisting the Duke in the war, had 120,000 Prussians. Napoleon’s plan was to make sure Blucher never encountered Wellington, therefore using his tactic of attacking one army at a time, and succeeding a victory. To his dismay, Wellington knew Blucher’s army was defeated at Ligny already and was already promising the Duke to meet him on June 18, the same day Napoleon decided to be bold and launch a multitude of attacks towards Wellington’s army. Napoleon, defeated, went back to Paris to try and rally them to gain a sense of nationalism, but they were not impressed and no one stood behind him. They actually considered him a total embarrassment. Due to this devastation, he attempted to flee to America, but it was unsuccessful and the British Royal Navy made sure he was not to go any further with his plan. He was then banished to St. Helena, an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. He later died on May 5, 1821 to stomach cancer.
There are a few inaccuracies, such as a fictional romantic subplot, the inaccuracies of the battlefield itself, and others. But the movie captures the Hundred Days War splendidly which is extremely satisfying. When I first watched the film, I really enjoyed the actors chosen for both the Duke and Napoleon. I always prefer when actors look like the person they are playing rather than being a known actor, because everyone in the industry deserves a chance. I also liked the graphics and the effects, and I enjoyed learning the fact that soldiers of the real Red Army were used as extras to portray the British Army. I recommend this movie to those who really enjoy history, specifically the Napoleonic Wars. It is a really perfect movie and it almost feels like watching the actual battle happen.
For more information, check out: Glover, Gareth. “Coach from Waterloo.” Napoleon in 100 Objects, Frontline books, 2020, p. 263-267.
