Okay longer review now that I’m back home from the theatre.
I’ve seen people complain that everyone has American accents. I don’t personally have a problem with this. I’m glad they didn’t make all these actors fake offensive sounding Greek accents or something and British accents don’t have the sole rights to magical settings. I like seeing American accents in a mythological setting actually.
In that same vein I don’t personally care about 100% historical accuracy because the odyssey takes place in the nebulous before times. As the opening of the movie states, it takes place in “a time of magic”.
The sacking of Troy was so well done. Horse was not on wheels. Horse was an actual believable statue. Loved that. Also loved the stealth scenes.
All these A list actors being here does get distracting, as I predicted. I don’t go “oh look it’s Telemachus” I go “oh look it’s spider man”
The sound effects and soundtrack are great in this one
Weird: calling Xenia “Zeus’ law”. I appreciate that this concept needs to be explained to people not familiar with Ancient Greek literature but there’s already a common way of translating this concept for normies and that is the “laws of hospitality”. Which is a much more understandable and less clunky phrase and can be rephrased a lot more ways.
Weird: They had the opportunity to have Zendaya descend from the heavens in full battle armor to tell everyone to not kill Odysseus and they didn’t take that opportunity. Disappointing.
I’m fine with the sea peoples being referenced offhandedly but they’re kinda ham fisted about them.
Telemachus doesn’t get to join in on the slaughter of the suitors very much. Disappointing.
Weird and confusing: Replacing both the land of the lotus eaters and Odysseus’ journey to Phaeacia with Calypso drugging him for seven years? This didn’t even save any time. It was just weird.
Bad: The cyclops doesn’t talk much. He’s not even called Polyphemus. Including Polyphemus properly wouldn’t have taken up more time and could’ve added some much needed comic relief.
I like that they didn’t try to portray the sirens song. Instead you hear the scene as if your own ears are plugged and see Odysseus screaming to be let out. Good choice. Good scene.
I don’t hate how Penelope was portrayed but it was also kinda confusing. Some ham fisted attempts at making her a proto feminist figure.
Similar thoughts about Helen and Circe. I don’t hate what was done with them but I don’t fully understand it either.
They left out the bit about the bed carved out of a living tree. Not necessary to the story but I would’ve liked to see set designers do something with that.
A lot of effort was put into those boats. Excellently done.
Very fun costume design. Colorful or dull at times but no excess of either.
7/10 I think? It’s good as a movie but it’s also just fine as an adaptation. Confusing choices were made but it’s also not a complete disaster or anything. Probably worth watching if you’re interested but I’m not gonna be telling everyone I know to go see it.
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