By George & Josh Bate
Christopher Nolan’s name has become a brand unto itself. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind some of the century’s greatest films powered a biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer to nearly $1 billion at the box office and remains a uniquely safe bet, both critically and financially, in an industry in which safe bets are increasingly hard to come by. Audiences know what to expect from a Nolan movie – intricate stories, stacked ensemble casts, and a technical precision of filmmaking few in history have rivaled.
Nolan’s new movie, The Odyssey, finds the filmmaker undertake a decidedly different task than any of his previous outings – to adapt one of the oldest surviving works of literature, an epic poem taking place centuries before Christ. To the surprise of no one, Nolan triumphs in this undertaking, delivering a breathtaking, sweeping, and technically exquisite film that gives new meaning to the term ‘epic’ and will make you feel grateful you’re alive at a point in history in which movies are made.
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, as he embarks on an arduous journey home after the 10-year-long Trojan War. While Odysseus navigates all manner of conflicts on his way home, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) contends with a group of ill-intentioned suitors, led by the conniving Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who wish to marry her. Determined to confirm whether his father is truly dead, Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland) begins on a journey of his own in a desperate attempt to save his family.
Much has been made ahead of The Odyssey’s release about it being the first movie in history to be filmed entirely with IMAX cameras and Nolan’s willingness to go to painstaking lengths to prioritize practical over digital effects. The results of Nolan’s efforts result, again a surprise to no one, a visually jaw-dropping feast for moviegoers to indulge in. Coupled with the superb cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and his decision to prioritize natural lighting throughout, Nolan crafts a film with an endless number of breathtaking visuals.
For as impressive as expansive shots on the ocean waters or intricate battle sequences during the Trojan War are, arguably the film proves most visually impressive in its quieter and more contemplative moments. Dimly lit rooms establish a moodiness and atmosphere that contrast much of Nolan’s previous work, while close-ups and medium shots during intimate conversations dazzle in how much emotion carries over through the IMAX cameras.
The technical accomplishments of The Odyssey are remarkably matched by the strength and sophistication of its themes and emotional resonance. Nolan adapts Homer’s epic with extraordinary faithfulness, retaining the poem’s non-linear structure and fully embracing the more mythical elements of the story. The filmmaker may still stumble in his delivery of exposition, an issue that has plagued virtually every installment of his filmography, and yet doing so this time around mirrors Homer’s approach to dropping his readers right in the middle of an ongoing story.
Nolan also finds a way to inject new meaning into Homer’s tale as he strikes a perfect balance between faithfully adhering to the source material and adding newfound dimensionality to the mix. Narratively, the most substantial additions come in the form of Antinous, Penelope’s duplicitous suitor played by Robert Pattinson. Backstory regarding Antinous’ relationship with Odysseus dating back to childhood and how his lack of involvement in the Trojan War ties to Elliot Page’s Sinon character flesh out Pattinson as an antagonist and make him a formidable match for Holland’s Telemachus.
Thematically, The Odyssey finds Nolan investigating strikingly similar ideas as he did in Oppenheimer. In addition to serving as a timeless examination of healing from trauma and the role that avoidance plays in preventing such healing, Nolan’s film explores the inner-workings of a man lauded by many, yet internally tormented by the horror his intellect inflicted upon the world. While Oppenheimer reckoned with the impact of his creation of the nuclear bomb will have on humanity, Odysseus grapples with the concept that he is not the hero legends suggest he is, but, instead, is a man who broke the most fundamental of moral codes through deception and causing the deaths of so many.
Through an exploration of these themes, The Odyssey poses questions of morality and honor, both to its protagonist and audience. Conversations throughout the film reference Zeus’ law, a code of conduct that urges people to treat others as they wish to be treated as anyone among you may be a God in disguise. This is a point that comes up repeatedly in Homer’s epic, yet is greatly expanded upon in Nolan’s adaptation, namely by scrutinizing what happens to individuals’ sense of self and safety when such laws are violated. Like he did in Oppenheimer, Nolan makes a statement about the fracturing of the decency of man, although, unlike his 2023 biopic, ultimately converges on a more hopeful and uplifting note.
Aiding immensely in having such themes as powerful and thought-provoking as they are is a star-studded ensemble filled to the brim with Academy Award winners and names typically first on a call-sheet producing some of their best work to date. There isn’t a weak link amongst Nolan’s expansive cast as everyone fully commits to the role they play in the story, however small it may be.
Matt Damon triumphs as a depiction of Odysseus that is far from the infallible hero other versions of The Odyssey present. His Odysseus makes mistakes, doesn’t always make the most honorable of decisions, and is tormented by the consequences of his actions during the Trojan War. Damon grows into the role over the course of the film, which aligns with the screenplay’s increasing willingness to delve deep into Odysseus’ state of mind. The third act in particular allows Damon to shine most brightly, best exemplified in stirring dialogue scene that captures the totality of the film’s themes in a single scene.
Other performers that stand out amongst the ensemble are Tom Holland, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson, and Samantha Morton. Holland delivers his best work since the woefully underappreciated Apple TV series The Crowded Room in a role that has him navigate a coming-of-age arc that mirrors the actor’s transition into more prestige fare at this juncture in his career.
Holland plays a disappointingly small role in the film, however, relative to what one would expect given his prominence in the first 20 minutes of the movie. It doesn’t take long for Nolan to relegate Holland to the periphery and only occasionally cut back to Telemachus amidst a story dominated by Odysseus. Holland does excellently with the material at his disposal, but it would have been interesting to see him play a more sizable role in which Telemachus’ coming-of-age story is weighed more substantially against Odysseus’ homecoming voyage.
Himesh Patel, meanwhile, plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ second-in-command and serves as an interesting figure opposite Damon for much of the movie. At times, Patel is Damon’s greatest ally and at other times is his greatest detractor, positioning him in a unique role in the story.
Samantha Morton masterminds the film’s most unsettling character in the form of Circe, the enigmatic goddess of the island Aeaea. Morton only features briefly in the movie but leaves a lasting impact nonetheless given how effectively her performance creeps under one’s skin. Her scene in the film, in addition the cyclops scene, previews what Nolan could do if he ever were to undertake an unabashed horror movie. These sequences are far more unnerving and well-crafted than anything the average horror film has to offer.
John Leguizamo’s Eumaeus, the loyal swineherd dedicated to Odysseus’ family, is the unexpected heart of The Odyssey. Eumaeus’ unwavering devotion to Odysseus, despite his decades-long absence, is extremely touching, as his care for Odysseus’ dog, who, despite being 20-years-old, grasps onto the last strands of life with the hope that he will set eyes on his human one more time before passing. Leguizamo milks every bit of emotion out of every scene he features in and transforms a rather peripheral character from the poem into one of the movie’s most important players.
Robert Pattinson proves once again that he can do no wrong. The Batman actor seemingly outdoes himself role after role after role. This time around, Nolan tasks Pattinson with playing a decidedly more conniving and villainous character than arguably any he has played to date. Pattinson’s Antinous manipulates, deceives, and lies as he attempts to marry Penelope and dispose of her son Telemachus. Perhaps more than any other actor in the ensemble, Pattinson makes the film come alive when he graces the screen.
All of the aforementioned actors deliver dialogue in American accents and use mostly contemporary language, a bold decision from a filmmaker embarking on a historical epic. This decision pays off immensely, however, as it shortens the emotional distance between the characters and the audience, while grounding the story in organic, approachable terms. Doing away with the artificially elevated and overly formal tone of dialogue and performance that characterizes most historical epics makes an ancient story feel more timely and relevant than ever and gives the film’s language an effective emotional honesty, rather than uninspired intellectual pretension.
VERDICT: 8.5/10
The Odyssey gives new meaning to the word ‘epic.’ Christopher Nolan crafts a breathtaking, sweeping, technically exquisite film that will make you feel grateful you’re alive at a point in history in which movies are made. While unafraid to explore the more mythological corners of Homer’s epic, the film excels with its emotional groundedness and exploration of coming to terms with the horrors our intellect can inflict upon others, a striking thematic parallel to Oppenheimer. The film is anchored by awards-worthy performances across the board, but John Leguizamo, Samantha Morton, Robert Pattinson, Himesh Patel, and Tom Holland stand out amongst one of cinema’s greatest ensembles ever assembled. Nolan finds a way to recreate Homer’s poem with extraordinary faithfulness, while also adding so much newfound emotion and narrative depth to the story, namely through the aforementioned themes and expansion of Antinous’ role. The fact that Nolan is able to match rich emotion and this caliber of performances with such sublime filmmaking is nothing short of a miracle. He is far more than just one of our greatest ever directors – he’s one of our greatest ever storytellers, a distinction he and Homer have in common.