Fresh off the heels of his first award-winning film, the historical saga Oppenheimer, British director Christopher Nolan has come back with an even larger, longer, and more ambitious project: adapting one of the most influential works of all time, Homer’s Odyssey. When it was announced, fans were unsure of what to think. On one hand, Nolan’s other films like Memento, Inception, and The Dark Knight are some of the most respected and loved movies across cinephiles and casual fans alike, and his other epics like Interstellar have proven he can handle huge projects. On the other hand, the cast seemed like it was prioritizing star power and possibly sacrificing the immense difficulty acting out this story would take. Additionally, some were worried he’d let his ambition consume him and he’d go way overboard with the film, similar to his much-maligned Tenet. Now that it’s released, Nolan has once again proven himself to be able to make movies that are exhilarating, heartbreaking, and above all, epic.
The Odyssey is a fantasy/adventure film starring Matt Damon (Odysseus), Tom Holland (Telemachus), and Anne Hathaway (Penelope). The story is split into two narratives: prince Telemachus and queen Penelope fend off suitors and conspirators trying to take over the throne of Ithaca, particularly the scheming Antinous (Robert Pattinson) and the brutish Polybus (Corey Hawkins). Meanwhile, Odysseus recounts to Calypso (Charlize Theron) the hardships he and his crew, led by the faithful but overconfident Eurylochus (Himesh Patel), had to face on their journey home from Troy. Throughout their adventure, they face the likes of gods, monsters, and warring soldiers, all in the near-impossible effort to simply stay alive.
Trying to review The Odyssey proves to be almost as difficult as the journey itself: the film has so many overlapping characters and storylines that it’s a futile effort to try to analyze it chronologically. I’ll start with the most self-contained part of the story: the conflict between the Ithacan royal family and the queen’s prospective husbands. While not nearly as flashy as the other main plot, the intrigue here is still incredible. Telemachus’s noble determination to find his father Odysseus contrasts beautifully with Antinous’s selfish desire to take over the kingdom, and the despair-ridden Penelope remains caught in the middle. However, she isn’t simply a trophy for them to keep to themselves; she has been unwavering in her duties to the kingdom and her loyalty to Odysseus, powerfully enforcing the ideas he stood for and faithfully awaiting his return. Holland, Hathaway, and Pattinson are all equally as powerful in their roles, both in hushed or violent conversation with each other, and when they shine against supporting characters like king of Sparta Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) or pig herder Eumaeus (John Leguizamo). The climax of their storyline is both hilarious and tense at the same time, and some of the characters they meet are sure to make audiences say “Wait, they’re in this?” (the bard and Penelope’s servant are two examples of this such moment; I’ll omit their actors’ names so you can discover who they are yourselves).
As great as the story in Ithaca is, though, its excellence of course pales in comparison to the most exciting and tragic part of The Odyssey: Odysseus’s journey. Although many fans were skeptical of Damon’s casting in the extremely demanding lead role, it’s safe to say he went above and beyond in his role. Every line delivered is both confident and depressed, every action conveys either militaristic genius or desperate panic. While I unfortunately can’t get into the details of his journey (this is a story that deserves to be experienced with as little knowledge going in as possible), almost every challenge his crew faces is more harrowing than the last, and Odysseus’s ingenuity in overcoming them is equally as thrilling to see unfold. It’s truly incredible how well Homer’s writing, which was so deeply ingrained in ancient Greek culture, translates to a modern film adaptation, without feeling kitschy or ridiculous.
Outside of the story, the technical aspects are as incredible as fans have come to expect from Christopher Nolan’s films. Cinematographer and longtime collaborator of Nolan’s, Hoyte van Hoytema, goes absolutely above and beyond with the camerawork in The Odyssey. Because of the limitations of shooting on huge and clunky IMAX cameras, van Hoytema came up with techniques almost as genius as Odysseus’s military strategy: lightweight “blimp” housing for the cameras and mirrors to reflect actors’ sightlines to name a couple. Ludwig Göransson also puts the pedal to the metal in the score department; the drums are pounding, the strings are sweeping, and it elevates every scene from simply a visual feast to an explosion of auditory beauty.
The Odyssey is a rare example of a movie where every single element comes together. Nothing lags behind, nothing is given too much emphasis, and every moment feels as impactful as the last. It’s sure to join the pantheon of Nolan’s greatest projects, and will hopefully be as adored by the Academy as Oppenheimer was, because it sure deserves it. No matter what, though, The Odyssey will be remembered for years to come as a movie that is truly epic.
