The word epic is sometimes thrown around loosely, but Christopher Nolan’s films usually earn the title. His latest flick once again qualifies.
“The Odyssey” is the latest from the Academy Award winning filmmaker. Based on Homer’s ancient text, the film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of the city state Ithaca. Following the victory by Greece at Troy, Odysseus and his army are now trying to sail back to their home, but as legend tells, their journey is a perilous one.
Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland) is anxiously waiting for his father to return and deal with an escalating situation. The issue in question is the group of suitors wanting to marry Ithaca’s queen, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), as most believe Odysseus is dead leaving the throne vacant.
A sweeping journey like the one featured in “The Odyssey” takes a filmmaker who understands scale. Nolan was certainly the right man for the job and up to the task. “The Odyssey” is a monumental cinematic achievement. It’s huge in scope, full of spectacle and grand in narrative.
It’s a captivating, engrossing film, full of peril, suspense and danger. While modern techniques are employed, it’s easy to think of “The Odyssey” in company of older epics like “Ben-Hur,” “Spartacus” and “The Ten Commandments.”
It’s a fascinating watch, one that takes its subject matter seriously, with an intelligent, grounded approach, balancing mystical fantasy with dramatic realism. Nolan, who also wrote the movie, builds a nice narrative flow, too, by telling the story in non-linear fashion through a pair of hero tales.
As the film progresses, the viewer follows Odysseus’ story through flashbacks, as he and his son are both trying to learn from their pasts to construct a better future. Odysseus is working to recover his memory of what happened after Troy fell, while Telemachus learns from others who his dad was from the stories others tell.
Beyond its incredible visuals on display as the adventure unfolds, what is often at play that keeps a viewer engaged is the exploration of free will and fate. There’s a back-and-forth nature, as the characters are driven by survival and motivated to write their own future, while coming to terms with destiny and powers beyond their control.
It’s an interesting take, one that is universal enough to connect a modern audience to the original text penned nearly 3,000 years ago. It helps to have the acting talents of Matt Damon in the film’s corner, too. His track record speaks for itself. A two-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner who’s starred in the likes of “Good Will Hunting,” “The Departed” and “The Martian.”
He proves himself again as a bonafied Hollywood star, with a huge level of screen presence to effectively portray a larger than life-type figure. Odysseus is a perfectly imperfect character. He is clever, but impulsive. He is caring, but can be shortsighted on how his actions impact others. It’s an intriguing character, and one that Damon does solid work in portraying.
Holland is also quite good as Telemachus. He’s a character who is headstrong, well-meaning, but also brash, and Holland really gets this down right. The one who perhaps does some of the best work, though, is Hathaway. The matriarch of the family is deeply affected by the trials of both her husband and son, and Hathaway is phenomenal in getting this across every second she’s on screen.
The rest of the cast is rounded out nicely, too. Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron and Zendaya all turn in fine performances in the feature. With that said, though, for as good as the acting is in some places, there is a feeling that the human element could have been stronger in some scenes.
That’s not to say it’s entirely void. However, there are moments that feel so grandiose and fantastical, that some of the emotion and feeling is a bit lost in the process. Everything does come together nicely in the third act that satisfies what a person is looking for on this front. But that second act is a bit dry in this respect.
Also, while the film is largely marvelous technically, there is a small issue when it comes to the sound. There are a few spots when either the diagetic sound or the film’s own music is so loud that it can be hard to hear key dialogue. This isn’t a huge issue, but it is noticeable.
Overall, though, Nolan’s new film is a for the most part a master work. It’s a powerful, expansive movie that deserves to be watched in theaters. The acting is solid, the special effects and cinematography is immaculate, the set and costume design is on point, and the dual hero’s journeys are compelling. A couple small hangups, but this one is a winner. 4.85 out of 5.
Photos courtesy Universal Pictures
