After the staggering box office success and critical reception of Oppenheimer, the film that helped secure a litany of Academy Awards including the highly coveted best picture, writer/director Christopher Nolan has returned with his latest epic The Odyssey, a re-imagining of Homer’s revered tale that is not only his most ambitious project yet, but perhaps his most immersive to date.
The Odyssey of course centers on the war hero Odysseus (Matt Damon), who after being an instrumental part in the successful siege on Troy, finds himself stranded on an island with foggy, elusive memories of his former life. However, soon his memories return and he begins his arduous journey home to Ithaca in order to reunite with his beloved wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Unfortunately, in his absence his beloved home has been overrun by suitors determined to take Penelope’s hand in marriage and take his place as king, led by a particularly insidious candidate named Antinous (Robert Pattinson). Tackling Homer’s epic poem is an unenviable task for any filmmaker, but Nolan’s singular vision coupled with a truly incredible cast are able to breathe new life into this beloved story.
As with any Nolan project, the renowned filmmaker has assembled a dizzyingly talented cast. Fortunately, he’s able to give each member of his lineup their time to shine and command the screen, cementing the fact there are simply no small parts in a Nolan film. Damon is rightfully the beating heart of the film as Odysseus, a physically and emotionally demanding role that he tackles with vigor and impressive commitment throughout. The iconic character’s shoes are well worn at this point, but he’s able to take the character into some welcomed uncharted territory, imbuing him with new compelling layers and wrinkles that allow the audience to easily invest in him and especially his daunting journey back home. Hathaway rises to the occasion as well as Penelope, Odysseus’ wife who refuses to give up hope that her husband will return as she must delay and fend off suitors hungry for power and influence. She’s not only quietly devastating, but as her plight reaches its fever pitch, Hathaway delivers some of her most magnetic and achingly raw work in years. Holland is finally able to break free from the shackles of the MCU to deliver some of his most mature work yet as Telemachus, a young man who not only yearns to know more about the legend that is his father, but to forge his own path and grow into the man he believes Odysseus would be proud of. His performance isn’t showy or overrun with angst, the talented young actor choosing a more nuanced approach to the character that serves him well.
Pattinson is also delightfully sinister as Antinous, relishing every line of dialogue and scene partner he gets to share the screen with. Pattinson has proven time and time again that he’s one of the most versatile and dynamic actors working today and his performance here continues to showcase a performer who not only has incredible dexterity, but a keen taste in material as well. Samantha Morton is also quite the standout as Cerce, her sequence in the film not only one of its finest, but perhaps its most terrifying. There isn’t a single weak link in the cast, from John Leguizamo as Eumaeus to Charlize Theron as Calypso, each and every member operating at the level Nolan and this story demands. However, Nolan is truly the star of the film and for good reason.
The scope of the film is unsurprisingly massive, filled to the brim with visuals and set pieces that are visceral and wholly enveloping. Nolan’s affinity for capturing as much as he can in camera always favors his projects well, this film certainly not being an exception. The locations, production design and wonderfully old fashioned in camera techniques coupled with Hoyte Von Hoytema’s luscious cinematography bring Homer’s words to life in breathtaking fashion. The action set pieces are tremendous and suitably overwhelming, the practical, tactile action only elevated by superb sound design that hits the audience like a freight train. The cherry on top is Ludwig Göransson’s score, which is not only another sublime and inimitable piece of work from the gifted composer, but helps emotionally propel the story to great effect. Whether it’s the siege of Troy, facing off against giants or a cyclops, Nolan delivers his singular brand of blockbuster filmmaking that is truly unrivaled, echoing back to the epics of old, films audiences simply don’t get the pleasure of seeing much anymore. Nolan continues to push the boundaries of filmmaking, choosing to film this epic entirely with IMAX cameras, a creative choice that effectively allows the film to have an immense visual and emotional scope as a result.
Fortunately, Nolan doesn’t deviate much from Homer’s story, tackling each pivotal and iconic scene from his poem with passion and emotional heft. In another director’s hands, the myriad of characters that populate the story could become far more of an issue, but with Nolan steering the ship each character feels fully realized and three-dimensional. The quintessential spirit and essence of these celebrated characters not only remain intact, but they’re able to be seen in an entirely new light here. Nolan is also able to tackle themes that are right in his wheelhouse, whether it be the weight of time, the hero’s journey, the greed of man and its consequences or the power of myths and stories, he’s able to explore them in ways that are not only highly accessible, but in ways that will leave audiences with plenty to think and talk about long after the credits begin to roll.
In terms of flaws holding the film back, there isn’t much to take issue with. The only notable setback the film suffers from is a first act that takes a beat to settle into its rhythm and tone. Nolan’s non-linear storytelling, while always an inspired and refreshing change of pace from most blockbusters, causes the film to stumble out of the gate, struggling to find its narrative and emotional stronghold as it establishes the characters and story. Fortunately, once the film finds its bearings, it never looks back and ceaselessly fires on all cylinders. As for the script, the issue lies less in its more modern approach to the dialogue and more so in exchanges that run too long between characters that could’ve easily been trimmed to tighten up the pacing.
5 out of 5 stars.
The Odyssey is a monumental and vital piece of filmmaking that delivers some of the best entertainment value of Nolan’s already illustrious career. There’s a reason why he has become such a lauded event filmmaker, a name that immediately builds hype and giddy anticipation. It’s because he always delivers, never what audiences are expecting, but consistently giving them exactly what they want in spades. This is a blockbuster film that yearns to be seen and heard on the big screen, a cinematic event that only a filmmaker like Nolan can deliver. He has not only delivered one of the year’s finest films, but makes it abundantly clear why Homer’s monolithic tale is as timeless and emotionally potent as ever.
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