THE ODYSSEY THOUGHTS BEFORE I FORGET
To start off, I should preface: I'm getting a degree in theatre history, which means I learn a lot of Greek written mythos. I've studied all the major tragedies, the Iliad, Aeneid and Odyssey. And I've seen so many people complain about the inaccuracy of the movie compared to the original poem, which after seeing the movie I can officially say I don't care about at all. I am not a Greek historian of course, but I feel like it's really, really unlikely that one of the most famous stories ever told, which is roughly 600 pages in its English translation, would ever be 100% accurately turned into a film without it being really long and super boring. I don't have a worthwhile opinion on the lack of Greek actors in the movie, but I will say I've rarely seen that pointed out without people mostly using it as an excuse to be very racist towards the black actors involved.
I love love loved all the little cinematic details. The cinematography, editing and sound mixing was really extraordinary. The shot of Troy's gates opening with Agamemnon standing there and the immediate music cut, the cut from the Athenian priestess's execution to the statue's head falling to the ground, the FINAL SHOT of the Trojan horse, the symbol of war overtaking humanity, falling and failing to make the forum, a symbol of peace and democracy, fall with it... GOD
The callbacks were great. Penelope calling Eumaeus by name, Sinon's lot, Odysseus plucking his bow in front of the suitors not just to show his identity, but to give the suitors one last chance to escape like he does with the animals he hunts... THE DOG... waaaaa
I think the fact that Odysseus's men were humanized and shown to be intelligent and rational people made their fate a lot more sad. Like, they really had no chance. Nothing Odysseus could've done would've saved them. The wind was never gonna turn until they ate the sacred cattle. I think one thing this movie does great is humanizing everyone. I was so afraid it would never acknowledge how tragic and cruel and inhuman the slaughter of Troy was, but it did, and it doesn't even excuse the main hero for his crimes (side note, I've seen a lot of people saying Odysseus should've died because he wasn't redeemable, but I mean... look how people reacted when they cut 2/8 islands. How do you think that would've been received)
Were the women any better involved than the average Nolan film? No. Was the source material giving him anything to work with on that front? No. Is that an excuse? Nah, I would've preferred he changed it up more to do that. And if he did the movie would've been hated even more, of course, but hey I woulda stood by it and isn't that what matters, the opinion of silcosbunny on tumblr
Ok on the subject of gendered casting I just wanna briefly say I saw a post circulating saying Elliot Page got a better role in this than in Inception because he transitioned and while I do think yes inarguably men get better rep than women in Nolan films and yes generally trans men who pass and get work in Hollywood would get better roles but this is just confusing me because Page had an extremely small role? He was in the movie for five minutes. Like I get the point of the post but I don't understand why it's using an example that's just factually incorrect because I'm not lying he was literally in two scenes totaling no more than five minutes and he didn't impact the plot. I guess it was well written but like I wouldn't say that makes it a "better role" so that's just confusing me
The special effects were rlly cool and well done generally I like that they let it be gross. I like that the shades and the cyclops were gross. It was fun
My last thought: there are like 30 main characters in this thing so I swear to god. I swear. If I'm stuck seeing x readers and thirst edits for Robert Pattinson's sniveling, misogynistic coward ass character for the next few months, I swear I'm gonna get murderous I will I'll get violent sexualize any of the other white boys but we can't go that low we can't be reduced to this guys
