‘The Odyssey’ shines light on human condition in mind-bending masterpiece
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Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” started selling out theaters across the country last July — a full year before its official release. But alongside anticipation came backlash; people judged casting choices, costumes and the use of contemporary English dialogue in a Greek mythology film. Even Elon Musk recently said his artificial intelligence chatbot will make a film that’s historically accurate to Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
Musk and other critics missed the point of Homer’s ancient Greek poem, written nearly 2,700 years ago. It’s not about accurately recreating a time-period film or the mythical creatures (sea monsters, cyclops and more) Homer explored. “The Odyssey” storyline centers on a universal theme: the human condition.
Coming off Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster, “Oppenheimer,” my expectations for “The Odyssey” were through the roof. And Nolan delivered. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe Nolan’s 13th feature film, simply, it’s a monumental achievement. Despite its nearly three-hour runtime, I’m itching to catch “The Odyssey” again in theaters.
Amid the epic battles and grandiose sets, “The Odyssey” shines brightest in its most vulnerable moments — when our hero, Odysseus (Matt Damon), is shown as a flawed man.
Released Friday, “The Odyssey” follows Odysseus’ fictional journey home to the Greek island of Ithaca, where he is king. After fighting in the 10-year Trojan War — which may have been based on a real conflict — Odysseus spends another decade returning to his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and their son, Telemachus (Tom Holland).
Through flashbacks sprinkled in, we get glimpses into the war, including Odysseus’ Trojan horse trick, which led to a Greek victory and the end of the war. But on the voyage home, Odysseus and his men face a series of trials, encountering Cyclops (voiced by Bill Irwin), a sorceress named Circe (Samantha Morton), giant-sized warriors known as Laestrygonians and more.
Eventually, Odysseus is found stranded on an island by the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), who falls in love with him. Calypso keeps Odysseus on the island by feeding him lotus flowers that cause memory loss, but after seven years, Calypso urges him to return home. Simultaneously, many suitors try to win Penelope’s affection to become king of Ithaca.
Known for mind-bending masterpieces, Nolan’s ambition has reached unprecedented heights. “The Odyssey” is the first film shot completely on 70mm IMAX, requiring a new camera to be developed specifically for the project.
These advancements — and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema’s genius work — resulted in a gorgeous film. Breathtaking shots of Odysseus’ fleet on the open Mediterranean Sea made me feel part of the voyage.
Ludwig Göransson’s outstanding score accompanies the stunning cinematography. Nolan tasked the three-time Oscar winner to compose music without an orchestra. Instead, Göransson used ancient instruments like gongs, a lyre and an aulos to emulate the Bronze Age setting. The deep percussion instruments were the backbone for many of the film’s most intense scenes, like the fall of Troy during the Trojan War. I expect Göransson to pick up his fourth Academy Award for this score.
Fueling “The Odyssey” is its A-list cast, with Damon at the helm. Because of the massive names attached to this project, no performance stands head and shoulders above the rest. Damon pulls his weight in the daunting lead, seamlessly navigating Odysseus’ moments of failure and heroism.
Zendaya, who played the goddess Athena in Odysseus’ visions, has minimal dialogue and screentime. But when she is on camera, it’s hard to blink. Her brief performance is extremely impactful, perfectly capturing Athena’s otherworldly presence.
But my money for the best performance — though it’s close — is Hathaway. The weight of her emotions is ever-present; you can feel the two decades of sorrow Penelope has gathered from waiting for Odysseus. It’s early to tell how Hathaway will fare at the Oscars, but she has a solid chance of a nomination.
Hathaway’s emotions swell during the film’s most impactful moment: when Odysseus speaks with Penelope for the first time upon returning home. Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, details the horrors of the Trojan War to Penelope. Simultaneously, the audience sees Odysseus’ perspective in a war flashback.
A theme woven throughout “The Odyssey” is Zeus’ Law: the idea that you should treat everyone with respect because anyone could be a god. At Troy, Odysseus realized that he and his men violated this sacred rule. They presented the Trojan horse as a gift, yet used it to mutilate Troy.
Tears streamed down my face during this sequence. Through the devastation and cruelty at Troy, Nolan showcases war as humanity’s major pitfall. This timeless message proves the universality of Homer’s story, asking the audience to reflect on the horrific conflicts present in our world today.
My favorite scene is when Odysseus encounters the sirens — enchanting, dangerous mermaids that lure sailors with their irresistible songs. While the crew shoves beeswax in their ears, Odysseus commands his men to tie him to the ship’s mast.
Nolan doesn’t let the audience hear the coaxing voices; he shows them. Odysseus flails and screams, desperately trying to free himself from the ropes. And one of his men, who removed his own wax, dives into the water toward the sirens sitting atop rocks.
The sequence strips our protagonist of all his heroic qualities. Odysseus is presented as mundane, a man who would’ve succumbed to human temptation and the subsequent consequence — death — had he not been restrained.
With several other hard-hitting scenes on par with what I’ve already mentioned, “The Odyssey” is a defining achievement in Nolan’s career. It’s certainly in the upper echelon of his filmography — no easy task. “The Odyssey” is battling with “The Dark Knight” for my third favorite Nolan flick. But from a filmmaking standpoint, “The Odyssey” takes a back seat only to “Oppenheimer.”
“The Odyssey” is bound to take home some hardware at the Academy Awards, but its influence shouldn’t stop there. Destined to be a classic, the film is an unforgettable display of Nolan’s dedication and a forever-relevant study of humanity’s virtues and flaws.
