The Odyssey
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Christopher Nolan has established himself as one of the greatest all-time directors. His latest epic The Odyssey looks to be yet another massive outing for the filmmaker and features an impressive cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, John Bernthal, John Leguizamo and Charlize Theron. Could this epic attempt be yet another masterpiece by Nolan and do Homer’s story justice or will it be a journey not worth taking?
The Odyssey follows Odysseus who faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way after the Trojan War.
Taking on this story is a feat, but making it work without getting bogged down is a challenge all itself. Throughout the years we have gotten various versions of this story, but nothing to this scope. Like most I was ready to take this journey with Nolan the moment it was announced he was making it but add this cast to the mix and it has the chance to be one of the biggest films of all time.
From the first frame this film is masterclass in filmmaking. It takes the subject matter and injects with everything it needs to be the epic it deserves to be. I know some of the liberties Nolan has gone with in the casting and look has thrown some off, but I could not disagree more. Everything here works perfectly and takes you on a long but engaging journey that keeps you fully invested from the beginning to end.
The cast are all outstanding with each getting their moment to shine. While it is Damon leading the charged in one of his best performances of his career, the rest of the cast al bring their A game to bring it all together. Hathaway is a powerful glue in
numerous ways from holding the kingdom together, being a protector and voice to Holland and the strength to Odysseus’ journey back. She is fantastic and her chemistry with every other actor elevates everyone’s performance.
Pattison is great as well playing the slimy pompous Antinous. You hate him from the moment you see him and gets worse as the story progresses in every way. He embraces the villainous tone of the character and goes all in. Holland brings an innocence and determination to his role that allows him to grow to the man he needs to be as he fights for the legacy he is destined for. As a massive John Leguizamo fan, I was eager to see him take on this role of Eumaeus also giving one of the best performances of his career.
I was worried the fantasy elements of this story might turn it from this classic literature and scope into more of a Lord of the Rings style film, but Nolan has meshed it perfectly. He weaves in and out of the ideals without it ever feeling over fantastical and allowing the audience to stay engaged with every element leading up to the crowd pleasing ending to this long journey that is worth every moment.
I know some will be hesitant to take this almost three-hour journey with Nolan and the cast, but it is a film that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, preferably IMAX as it was meant to be seen.
Decide for yourself and witness yet another brilliant piece of cinema from Nolan with The Odyssey in theaters now from Universal Pictures.