Britney Spears may sing “Oops!…I Did It Again.” Well, oops… he does it again. Christopher Nolan crafts another triumphant blockbuster in “The Odyssey.” The film follows Odysseus’ 10-year journey home after the Trojan War while his family fends off suitors attempting to steal the throne in Ithaca.
Nearly 2,800 years old, Homer’s “The Odyssey” is a foundational piece of Western literature. The ancient epic poem consists of 24 books, shaping what modern readers now know as ancient Greece. It’s a daunting task to adapt, but Nolan manages to do so.
Similar to the poem, the story isn’t told in chronological order. Much of Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is delivered through memories. These include the end of the Trojan War, fighting a cyclops, taking on Poseidon’s deadly seas and more. Many of these sequences become so immersive that you actually forget they’re simply flashbacks. This is a credit to Jennifer Lame’s editing, weaving back and forth between the past and present while still keeping the overarching narrative intact.
Also faithful to the source material, the perspectives are split — following Odysseus’ journey home or taking place on Ithaca with Penelope and Telemachus. When reading “The Odyssey,” it’s difficult to become fully engrossed early on. It’s a similar issue here, as Nolan attempts to put all of the moving pieces in place. From the very first frame, it’s an engrossing world, but it’s also a scattered one. Because of this, the first third of the 172-minute runtime will likely leave those unfamiliar with Homer’s work feeling underwhelmed.
It doesn’t take long to see just how large-scale “The Odyssey” is. The reported $250 million budget shows, with a plethora of massive set pieces that never really stop coming. Once the character introductions are complete, the film presents an onslaught of new obstacles. It’s not just Odysseus’ journey that steals the show, however, as the tension on Ithaca itself is just as enthralling. While many movies fail to deliver an equally compelling subplot, “The Odyssey” doesn’t face this issue. Through the fragmented storytelling, Nolan is able to deliver a consistent dose of tension.
By the time the movie ends, you’ll likely find yourself more moved than anticipated. Much like the poem, it tackles heavy themes regarding regret, human decency, the cost of victory and basic right-versus-wrong moralities. Similar to how “Oppenheimer” ended on a modern note, it feels like “The Odyssey” does the same. The ideas inside are forever timely, meaning that this will likely be just as relevant many years into the future.
Complaints have been levied about “The Odyssey” on virtually every level. Is the film always historically accurate? Not at all. While the costumes and production design don’t match traditional expectations, it’s important to remember — Homer’s work is fictional and mythological. Creative liberties are taken to bring the adaptation to the big screen, and they largely pay off.
Director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema continues to operate on another level. “The Odyssey” marks a major achievement, being the first feature film shot entirely on 15/70mm IMAX cameras. He balances the intimate dialogue and visceral action with different techniques. As characters communicate, he often utilizes close-ups with a shallow depth of field, pulling focus to almost alienate individuals. When characters voyage into the ocean or hundreds of soldiers fight, the shots widen while still remaining in close proximity. The camera also glides with the motion of the world around it, whether that’s swords clashing or waves crashing, van Hoytema puts the audience directly in the middle of it.
Ludwig Göransson’s score plays almost continuously throughout “The Odyssey.” Coinciding with the time period, ancient instruments were used alongside added vocal layers. Göransson has composed many superb scores, and this feels like one of his most subtle. Not in terms of loudness, but more so its scale. Here, it’s the visuals that do the talking, with the compositions never overshadowing them.
As usual, Nolan works with a stacked cast in “The Odyssey.” Appearing in the film are Matt Damon (Odysseus), Tom Holland (Telemachus), Anne Hathaway (Penelope), Robert Pattinson (Antinous), Himesh Patel (Eurylochus), John Leguizamo (Eumaeus), Zendaya (Athena), Charlize Theron (Calypso), Lupita Nyong’o (Helen of Troy/Clytemnestra), Samantha Morton (Circe) and many more.
This could be Damon’s best performance to date, fully committing to the role both physically and verbally. Yes, Odysseus’ voice largely just sounds like typical Damon, but there are layers of depth that he brings to the character. Through different stages of Odysseus’ life, Damon adds varying levels of exhaustion, guilt and hope. He also lets his facial expressions do the heavy lifting, with one of the best scenes in the film coming from him simply screaming.
Hathaway captures the pain of loss that Penelope feels. She only carries a handful of scenes, but when it’s her time to shine, she fully delivers. Pattinson plays the most hateable character in the movie, carrying smugness through every word.
Holland slightly sticks out from the rest of the cast. He has the least emotive persona, not always to the fault of the performance itself. Never meeting his father, Telemachus doesn’t feel the same pain that others who knew Odysseus do. Holland brings a sense of immaturity to the screen that works for the character, though it feels like he doesn’t quite push as far as the rest of the cast.
Performances that may be overlooked but prove to be crucial to “The Odyssey” come from Patel and Morton. Patel is present for long stretches of the runtime, being a “right-hand man” to Odysseus. Morton, on the other hand, is only briefly present — but does she make the most of it. Those who have watched “The Walking Dead” know how terrifying she was as Alpha, and it’s a similar experience here. She takes complete control of the screen, delivering both a haunting and devastating monologue.
“The Odyssey” is no longer “unadaptable.” Nolan translates the iconic piece of literature to the big screen with care, capturing the sheer spectacle and driving message within.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
