When you think of classic tales that involve epic battles, terrifying monsters, intimidating gods and lessons to learn, it’s hard to go past what is considered to be the o.g. of stories, Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem The Odyssey. It is no easy feat to take this and turn into a feature film, being able to deliver a coheisve and faithful version that would satisfy modern cinema-goers and keep the tradition of this story alive. Writer/director Christopher Nolan who has no doubt delivered some of modern cinema’s most epic and memorable films including Oppenheimer, Tenet, Memento and the Dark Knight Trilogy has seemingly poured all of his energy into this project, delivering what might just be his best work to date.
Set in a time of magic, gone is the language of the original text, completely modernised to make this near three hour journey more palatable for cinema-goers, purists of the original story may struggle with the liberties taken here to update the script. For what it’s worth, it worked beautifully for me, with the performances from the actors working in sync with this to deliver a tale worthy of its time. After a lengthy introduction to the world, the story follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) who heads off to Troy to intiate the Trojan war (yes, that one) upon their victory, he attempts to head back to his home in Ithica where his wife and queen Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) are waiting for his return. His seven year absence has seen Ithica silently invaded by suitors attempting to wed Penelope and take over the throne. Each night they feast in the halls draining the island of resources and harassing the locals, including a pig farmer and loyal subject Eumaeus (a career defining performance for John Leguizamo). While Penelope and Telemachus are trying to find a resolution for their island woes, we are also shown the story of Odysseus’s return to his home, travelling with a band of men by sea, from island to island pleading for supplies and encountering both gods and monsters who will attempt to put Odysseus through trials to truly understand the impact of his actions on Troy and the home he is heading to, is not the same place that he departed from.
Nolan creates this world by blending location shooting with practical effects, puppetry, wooden boats that feel lovingly crafted and of course, CGI that help this ancient world feel real and lived in. To help this along is the just as epic score by Ludwig Goransson who is fast becoming the John Williams of this generation of filmmaking. It is subtle when it needs to be, yet booming and intimidating when the action truly is unleashed. While these big moments are what makes this film a true blockbuster, it is the quieter moments that Nolan’s true skill as a filmmaker shines through. A lot of Odysseus’s moments, telling the story of how he got home after the war are told in silent moments through conversation with Calypso (Charlize Theron) and these are allowed to resonate and re-enforce his connection to Ithica and the love he holds for his family, even though his mind cannot recall the specifics.
The performances in this film is what makes it, Hathaway in particular knows how to play the caged bird, longing for her family to be reunited and the frustrations of the “only men can be king” Her switch between vulnerable, loving wife and fierce frustrated queen allows Hathaway to deliver her best performance of the year (so far!) Similarly Damon switches between being a strong leader and a dutiful husband who wants to get home to his family. Damon easily delivers these emotions, and when the weight of what happened in the trojan war settles in, the impact it has on Odysseeus is similar to that of Oppenheimer when the reality of the atomic bomb and its devestation settles in. Zendaya feels like she is reprising her role in the first Dune film, popping out for small moments to look atherial down the camera lens before quickly disappearing and her husband Holland feels a little confused about what role his character plays here. Leguizamo plays a semi-blind pig farmer, who provides counsel to Odysseus and his loyalty and determination to stand by the king, even when it feels like all hope is lost is played perfectly, his blind dedication and willingness to uphold Zeuss’s law at all costs, despite of the destruction around him and what it might cost is the best we have seen Leguizamo deliver.
Nolan dives into some new territory here with gods and monsters, his turn into almost horror territory with the character of Circe (Samantha Morton) and the fate bestowed onto the crew from Odysseus’s ship includes some of the most bone crunching and uncomfortable moments in the film. A bone crunching Cyclops, a cliff dwelling tentacle monster, An isle of sirens luring sailors to their death, it is all brushed with a horror movie style tarnish that blends with the epic battles seamlessly. This is pure indulgence, particularly when juxtapositioned with Nolan’s revisiting the horrors of war and the effects a large scale impact can have, particularly that of his last film Oppenheimer.
There is a timlessness, a masterfulness, an echo of the absolute peak of cinematic masterpiece that The Odyssey fits right into. While it may not carry the same language style as the original text, interpreting this as an updated version of the story that began all modern storytelling, only succeeds in the hands of a skiller writer/director Christopher Nolan. The Odyssey is Nolan’s greatest film to date and will no doubt become a modern masterpiece on which all future blockbusters will be held to.
The Odyssey is in cinemas from July 16.
