Homer’s Odyssey is an iconic work of ancient literature that has influenced major contributions to fantasy literature, as well as quintessential entries in storytelling and cinema. Writer/director Christopher Nolan, known for his incredible films, attempts to adapt this classic story with some modern context, but at the same time, honors and celebrates the spectacle delivered by this historically relevant piece of classical mythology. The result is, more or less, exactly what one would expect from a tremendously gifted filmmaker who knows exactly what he wants and knows that his audiences will happily experience what he has to offer. With all the tools and crew he trusts, along with an incredible cast, The Odyssey is a cinematic spectacle and a very human drama that deserves to be experienced on the big screen.
Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, manages to achieve a violent victory with his crew, alongside King Agamemnon of Mycenae (Benny Safdie) and his troops, as they attack Troy. After this devastating blow to Troy and the people lost on both sides, Odysseus must get his crew home to Ithaca, where his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his people await.
This task proves to be more challenging than the journey there, as Odysseus leads his men to various islands that only provide hostile environments for him and the others. Meanwhile, decades pass, and the kingdom of Ithaca remains in limbo. Odysseus and Penelope’s son Telemachus (Tom Holland) desperately awaits the return of their king, husband, and father. While they wait, several suitors target Penelope in hopes that they can persuade her to acknowledge Odysseus’ death and take them as their next husband and king.
I was mostly blown away by this cinematic experience. Christopher Nolan is simply one of the best directors working in cinema right now because he knows how to deliver grand, epic cinema tailor-made for theatrical release.
The cinematography with IMAX cameras, the mix of practical effects and CGI, and the whole cinematic feel of the movie are so incredible looking. Mixed with a powerful and effective score by Ludwig Göransson, this is definitely a film to be lauded and studied for the ages. The immense cast, particularly lead actors Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson, all perform superbly. That is not to say that I don’t have any complaints or criticisms about the film, though.
Nolan and the people with whom he often works simply have an obvious difficulty shooting and editing certain combat scenes. The climactic battle sequence would have been so much better had Nolan and his crew consulted someone or some people who know how to visually pull it off, so that we could actually see what was happening. Given the nature of the story and the approach to the material, I totally get that this movie can be occasionally chaotic, but Odysseus is supposed to be a badass, and I actually want to see him in action and appreciate his skills in that arena.
That honestly is my main gripe with this incredible and remarkable film. Nolan’s writing and development of the Odysseus character give his journey some psychological stakes and resonance. He is a warrior who comes to the realization about his actual endgame and what truly matters in life. The Odyssey, despite its minor weakness, is an incredible film to behold, and only Christopher Nolan can deliver something of this scale, but deconstruct the story in ways that make it relevant to modern audiences. Go see it in a theater, particularly, and on an IMAX screen.