The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan is one of the most important films of recent years, a flawed masterpiece that only time will tell whether it will become the most influential film in Nolanâs filmography. For now, itâs what everyone is talking about, and thatâs no small feat for a 3,000-year-old tale that Nolan manages to turn into a commentary on the current political world order, our fear of strangers, and the way humanity has gone off track in recent years through xenophobia and the abuse of technological supremacy by the worldâs great powers.
The remarkable thing is that all of this is already found in Homer. Zeusâ law, respect for strangers, and hospitality are consistent themes throughout The Odyssey, and Nolan brings them to the forefront, making them the filmâs central concern. He appears to be a scholar not only of Homer but of Greek tragedy as well, managing to provide an ending that is both unexpected and inevitable, causing reversal of fortune and recognition for the hero, and eliciting fear and pity in the audience. All this while faithfully following the epic adventure, giving us astonishing set pieces featuring the Cyclops, the Trojan Horse, Scylla and Charybdis, a journey to Hades, and a return to Ithaca that feels earned and deeply moving. The scene with Argos had me, as always whenever I read the story, moved to tears, while the revenge upon the suitors feels both just and cathartic.
The cast is excellent. Matt Damon is a wonderful Odysseus, and those early scenes with Anne Hathawayâs Penelope, showing their life before he sailed away, feel so authentic that itâs almost as if weâre watching a documentary about family life in the palaces of ancient Greece. At the same time, the idea of being just, righteous, and honorableâeven toward oneâs enemies and animalsâis moving from the very first reel of the film. Odysseusâ crew is excellent as well, with fantastic performances by Himesh Patel, Andrew Howard, and others, and I loved Charlize Theron, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, and Robert Pattinson in their respective roles.
In a way, Nolan manages to create both a Hollywood star-driven epic in the sword-and-sandals tradition and a mythical spectacle reminiscent of Ray Harryhausenâs stop-motion adventures. But at the same time, he unmistakably makes a Nolan film, giving Odysseus the same psychological weight and inner conflict that characterized Batman and Oppenheimer. Once again, he is interested in flawed heroes who battle their own inner demons while bringing victories to the rest of us.
And here lies the filmâs only real flaw. Nolan seems to overlook that the âcomplicatedâ man of the translation that appears to have influenced him actually refers to the polymichanos nature of Odysseus, his many dimensions. He instead chooses to highlight only the aspects that suit his reading of the story. Thus, we donât get a cunning man, we donât get a resourceful man, we donât get a man capable of surrendering to pleasure, or a man who, at times, is even blasphemous and driven by his lust for lasting fame. Odysseus had as many dimensions as the poets who sang his tales and added to his adventures. But I guess Nolan has every right to add his own.
A- P.S. I loved the music by Ludwig Göransson, the cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema, and every technical achievement of this monumental film. Iâm simply waiting to see it again on the biggest possible screen, to digest it and savor it. I canât remember the last time a film made me want to return to the cinema this badly.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/f_bKjZeJBBI