Overview
A pivotal battle in history where the fate of Europe hangs in the balance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- grand
- serious
- austere
- historical film marathon
- military history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film’s immense battle reconstruction, costumes, and visual craft while finding its characterization emotionally distant and its pacing ponderous.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Waterloo engagement is staged with thousands of soldiers and cavalry, extensive aerial photography, and large-scale battlefield choreography.
Napoleon's return and the allied defense at Waterloo are presented as determining whether Europe returns to prolonged war or enters a period of peace.
The visual language draws on Napoleonic paintings and depicts Napoleon, Wellington, and their armies within carefully composed historical tableaux.
Napoleon and Wellington make strategic decisions while the battle repeatedly reduces their plans to formations, cavalry charges, artillery, and battlefield confusion.
Films like Waterloo, and why
The Battle of Russia
large-scale historical battle spectacle, military strategy, and tragic war atmosphere
Napoleon
Napoleonic-era warfare, monumental period reconstruction, and commanding central generals
Gettysburg
historical war epic focused on battlefield tactics, mass formations, and national stakes
Movie Details
- Director
- Sergei Bondarchuk
- Release Date
- 1970-10-26
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (235)
Cast
- Rod Steiger
- Christopher Plummer
- Orson Welles
- Jack Hawkins
- Virginia McKenna
- Dan O'Herlihy
- Rupert Davies
- Philippe Forquet
- Gianni Garko
- Ivo Garrani
Common questions
- What is Waterloo about?
- A monumental historical war epic stages Napoleon’s final campaign and the battle that reshaped Europe.
- What is Waterloo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Waterloo as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Waterloo violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Waterloo as moderate.
- What did critics think of Waterloo?
- Critics broadly admire the film’s immense battle reconstruction, costumes, and visual craft while finding its characterization emotionally distant and its pacing ponderous.
- Which films are like Waterloo?
- Films with a similar feel include The Battle of Russia, Napoleon, and Gettysburg.
- How long is Waterloo?
- Waterloo runs 134 minutes.
