Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey brings Homer's legendary tale to the screen with sweeping visuals, a powerhouse cast, and the kind of epic scale expected from the filmmaker.
One of the oldest surviving works of literature known to man is the 12,109-line poem, The Odyssey. Along with its predecessor, The Iliad, The Odyssey is presumed to have been written by Homer around the 8th century BC and tells the tale of Odysseus (Matt Damon; The Martian), the king of Ithaca, who left home to fight the Trojan War and didn't return for 20 years. The story has been told time and time again through different forms of media. The newest version is this summer's feature film of the same name, directed by Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer). The Odyssey hits theaters on July 17th and is sure to be one of this year's big blockbuster films.
For those unfamiliar with the story, I offer a brief synopsis. Odysseus went to Troy to fight for the return of Menelaus' (Jon Bernthal; The Punisher) wife, Helen (Lupita Nyong'o; 12 Years A Slave), who ran away with a Trojan prince. After 10 years, Sparta defeated Troy and Odysseus began his journey back to his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway; The Devil Wears Prada 2), and his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland; Spider-Man: Brand New Day), who was an infant when Odysseus left Ithaca. However, Odysseus' return took another 10 years with stops along the way in various lands, where he and his crew were terrorized by mythical creatures as Penelope fended off suitors trying to win her hand in marriage and become King of Ithaca.
The cast of The Odyssey is a veritable who's who in Hollywood. From Damon to Hathaway, Holland to Zendaya (Spider-Man trilogy) and Robert Pattinson (The Batman) to Charlize Theron (Monster), the performances are nuanced and layered throughout the film. Supporting cast members Elliot Page (Juno), Mia Goth (Pearl), Himesh Patel (Tenet), and John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge!) also bring their A game, making for a truly ensemble cast. While everyone gives wonderful performances, I do, however, question one or two of Nolan's casting choices, such as Pattinson. Don't get me wrong, he does a terrific job, but I just didn't see him as being in the same age range as Hathaway nor old enough to be a "father figure" to Telemachus.
Academy Award winner Nolan is in top form, bringing his unique sense of storytelling to the big screen once again. He is an exceptional director who deserves a place amongst the "Gods" of filmmaking - Hitchcock, Welles, Spielberg, Scorsese, Coppola, etc. He knows how to engage the audience from the first act and keep them interested with his storytelling and visual interpretation of what is in the script. If I were to have any complaint about his films, including The Odyssey, it is that they are a little bit too long and he needs to edit with a keener eye.
For example, when the warriors and Odysseus are running through Troy killing the enemy and setting everything on fire, the scene could have been shorter and gotten to the point faster. We all understood what was happening two minutes into it, and we didn't need another three minutes to drive the point home. It was overkill, no pun intended.
The special effects are special indeed, and this is another area where Nolan shines. The Giant Knights, Cyclops, and the witch who turns Odysseus' men into pigs look as if they are truly alive and not created with special effects. Cyclops is especially well done. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Oppenheimer) once again puts his talent on full display and leaves no doubt in anyone's mind why Nolan uses him time and time again.
Is The Odyssey worth sitting through, especially if you have already seen a previous version of the story? Absolutely. Nolan's version is unique enough to give the audience something new to enjoy, even if the film would benefit from a tighter edit.
Grade: A-
