The Odyssey

The Odyssey is an overwhelming experience that leaves you with much to think about.

There's so much to process, in fact, that I still need time to let everything sit with me. So, I’m not sure how I would compare this film to other Christopher Nolan features just yet. But I will say that I am completely floored by the technical craftsmanship that is on display here. Every single aspect of this film is undeniably impressive. 

This movie has an old-school magical quality to it - which does feel appropriate, given the subject matter - and that quality definitely seems to be missing from other modern blockbusters. So, I can't help but to admire Nolan's sensibilities as a director, because I have no idea how he filmed some of the things that he did here. It’s easy to get immersed in this world when the camerawork is so impressive, the effects are all practical, and the locations are all real. 

Now, for anyone unfamiliar with Homer’s 3,000-year-old epic, the story follows Odysseus - king of Ithaca -  as he embarks on a perilous journey to return home after the Trojan War. Crossing the Mediterranean Sea with his fellow soldiers, Odysseus finds himself battling the elements, an array of deadly obstacles, and strange mythical creatures along the way. 

In other words: I would definitely hate to be Odysseus here. His journey home is a long, dangerous, and perilous one. But it makes for an epic story! One that has endured for thousands of years. And, while I haven’t read The Odyssey since high-school, I think Nolan’s film acts as an excellent adaptation of the material. He brings the story to life so brilliantly! 

So, no, the modern language doesn’t bother me; the American accents don’t bother me; the diverse cast doesn’t bother me; and none of the historically inaccurate costumes bother me. Because this - much like the original story it’s based on - is a work of fiction. And Nolan’s take on this fictitious tale is an incredibly well-made one.  

At any rate, Matt Damon plays the lead character of Odysseus, and he’s really good here! Despite being a war hero, Odysseus is a deeply flawed character who makes plenty of mistakes. And he carries the weight of all those mistakes with him. Which makes his character all the more interesting. I don’t remember much about Odysseus’ depiction in the original epic, but I do like seeing Odysseus from this perspective. He didn’t ask to be a war hero, he didn’t ask for so many songs to be written about him, he didn’t ask for the gods to favor him instead of his men; so what would all of that pressure do to someone? Nolan’s take on the material explores just that. 

But Damon doesn’t deliver the best performance in the movie, as that honor definitely goes to Anne Hathaway, who portrays Odysseus’ wife Penelope. Hathaway gives the character such depth here. You can really feel her anger, pain, sadness, frustration, love, loyalty, devotion, and so much more. Out of all of the characters in the story, Penelope feels like the most fully fleshed out one. Which means that Hathaway is definitely the standout performer, in my opinion. So I hope that her performance will be remembered when it comes time for award season. 

But it should come as no surprise to hear that everyone in this enormous cast is great. Robert Pattinson is fantastic as a sleazy suitor who essentially acts as the film’s primary antagonist. John Leguizamo is terrific as one of Odysseus’ faithful servants. I really like Himesh Patel as Odysseus’ second-in-command. And Tom Holland delivers one of his best performances to date as Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. 

Of course, that doesn’t even cover half of this massive cast, but you should know that everyone here is good. And that includes Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page, who were both the subject of controversy for absolutely no good reason. 

The only person in the cast that bothers me is Benny Safdie. Agamemnon is supposed to be an imposing and intimidating figure in this film, but Safdie doesn’t have the right presence to pull that off, so his suit does all of the heavy lifting. And, don’t get me wrong, I do love the suit! The scene where he enters into Troy is incredible; he basically feels like Darth Vader in Rogue One’s hallway scene! But I don’t buy Safdie’s presence underneath that suit. Especially in scenes where he has to talk. 

Regardless, my biggest issue with the film comes from the pacing and the editing. Due to the way the story unfolds - hopping around from one person’s story to another - the first hour just feels a little disjointed to me.  Thankfully, the movie does eventually find its footing, and the pacing does settle into a less disjointed groove. Meaning that I do enjoy the last half of the film better than the first half. Which isn't all too surprising, given how Nolan likes to build up to an incredibly big and satisfying conclusion. 

And I especially like the weighty themes that Nolan is able to incorporate into the finale. Sure, those themes may feel a little heavy-handed, but they also allow you to see this ancient story and these iconic characters through a completely new perspective. One that works really well! 

If you want to watch a smaller scale version of this story - one that does act as a solid drama - you can always watch Ralph Fiennes play Odysseus in last year’s The Return. But if you want to see the definitive version of Homer’s epic story, you should probably watch Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. And you should try to catch it on the biggest screen possible! The movie was shot entirely on IMAX cameras, after all. Which is an impressive feat unto itself. 

So, while I'm not ready to say that this is one of Nolan's best movies, I do understand why the film is so highly rated. There is just so much for movie fans to love and gush about here. 

I may need more time to process everything, but I felt the same way about Oppenheimer after I saw that film for the very first time. So, after a few more viewings, I may come to love this movie just as much as everyone else seems to. 

For now, I can't deny the fact that Nolan did one hell of a job on this film. His work is commendable, respectable, and even downright awe-inspiring. 

Meaning that The Odyssey would definitely get a recommendation from me.