Although a commercial flop on its original cinematic release, Sergei Bondarchuk's epic WATERLOO has stood the test of time and does not fail to entertain.

Certainly Christopher Plummer and Rod Steiger bring much to their roles, as Arthur Wellesley (the Duke Of Wellington) and Napoleon Bonaparte respectively, while the legendary Orson Welles makes use of his limited, couple of minutes cameo. Also deserving of special mention are Dan O'Herlihy, who plays Marshal Ney as a Man possessed, and Jack Hawkins as the gruff, tough General Picton.

Bondarchuk has a keen eye for sweeping detail and this is always evident onscreen, from the lavish sets (such as the Duchess Of Richmond's Ballroom) to the battlefield itself where he constantly fills the shot with a cast of thousands. Why settle for a handful of soldiers when several hundred will suffice?!

The opening scenes attempt to explain Napoleon's first (forced) abdication, due in no small part to a mutiny by his most trusted… more »

Although a commercial flop on its original cinematic release, Sergei Bondarchuk's epic WATERLOO has stood the test of time and does not fail to entertain.

Certainly Christopher Plummer and Rod Steiger bring much to their roles, as Arthur Wellesley (the Duke Of Wellington) and Napoleon Bonaparte respectively, while the legendary Orson Welles makes use of his limited, couple of minutes cameo. Also deserving of special mention are Dan O'Herlihy, who plays Marshal Ney as a Man possessed, and Jack Hawkins as the gruff, tough General Picton.

Bondarchuk has a keen eye for sweeping detail and this is always evident onscreen, from the lavish sets (such as the Duchess Of Richmond's Ballroom) to the battlefield itself where he constantly fills the shot with a cast of thousands. Why settle for a handful of soldiers when several hundred will suffice?!

The opening scenes attempt to explain Napoleon's first (forced) abdication, due in no small part to a mutiny by his most trusted Marshals, giving Steiger the chance to constantly shift moods - whispering one moment, yelling the next. Of course, he is soon back in France, returned to power, and determined to crush the only immediate threat to him, Wellington's Allied Army and that of the aged Prussian, General Blucher. This covers the first half of the film.

Finally we come to the battle itself and for sheer spectacle Bondarchuk excels. He successfully retains the superb style of his earlier Napoleonic cinematic masterpiece, the sprawling WAR AND PEACE, so much so that some shots and techniques are almost identical.

There are minor quibbles, though, not least due to historical inaccuracies. Marhsal Soult is incorrectly placed at Napoleon's abdication during the opening scenes (although perhaps this was considered as a way of introducing the character early) while a couple of hours at the close of the battle are condensed into mere minutes of screen time! For this reason the Prussian involvement in the battle is largely ignored. The village of Plancenoit, which changed hands between the French and Prussians several times in attack and bloody counter-attack is never shown, to the extent that the Prussian forces just seem to arrive and immediately put the French Army to flight! However, these problems are easily forgotten in the sheer spectacle of the action.

In true non-Hollywood style, the closing scenes are poignant, for both Commanders are sorrowful. Napoleon has been defeated and his newfound Empire shattered. Wellesley's victory has seen many of his closest friends and loyal soldiers killed or seriously wounded. While one escapes, the other sullenly tours the battlefield in the gathering gloom. Here, to Bondarchuk's credit, he does not shy away from the horrors of war. Dying horses lay in agony, medical parties search for the many wounded among the mounds of dead and looters hunt for spoils like ghouls. This anti-war message rings all too clear as the camera slowly pulls back and we see the full horror of the days carnage.

Now selling at a budget price, there is no better time to purchase this film. While extra features are sparse, merely filmographies and the Original Theatrical Trailer, the widescreen transfer is surprisingly crisp and clean for a film of its age.

Anyone with an interest in the Napoleonic period, or who just wishes to see spectacular battle scenes before the age of CGI, will not be disappointed.