By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Rating: ++++
out of ++++
Running Time: 173 minutes
This feature from Universal Pictures opens at theaters and on IMAX screens on Friday, July 17.
I suppose there’s a reason why a great story manages to survive through generations and continues to absorb audiences. Homer’s Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem that, 2,800 years after it was first published (and who knows how long before that it was passed down through storytelling), is still beloved and studied by experts. The world may have completely changed, but even the mythic story elements and characters in this tale still have relevance in today’s world. Writer/director Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar, Oppenheimer) clearly recognized this fact, and has delivered a mesmerizing adaptation that is certain to make a lasting impression.
The narrative frequently jumps around in time and space, slowly filling in viewers about its central characters. We see the aging King of Ithaca, Odysseus (Matt Damon), alone on a beach, suffering from amnesia, while experiencing brief flashes of his past. In Ithica, Queen of Ithica Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and her son Telemachus (Tom Holland) have been awaiting the king’s return for close to 20 years. Odysseus and his soldiers were enlisted to follow the all-powerful King of Mycenae, Agamemnon (Benny Safdie) on a lengthy, tumultuous raid of Troy. While word has come that the decades-long raid was ultimately successful, few have returned over the following years.
Most are confident that Odysseus is dead, and suitors wait in the wings to force Penelope to remarry so that they can take control as the new King of Ithaca. This includes the particularly vicious and power-hungry Antinous (Robert Pattinson).
Early on, there are striking images of the Trojan Horse, with enough bits and pieces presented to give generalities about the situation, as well as emphasize that Odysseus is far from home and suffering from memory loss about the war. But the first act does primarily revolve around establishing the family drama and political situation in Ithaca, honing in on the nastiness of Antinous trying to wrestle control of the region, while aging figures from Odysseus’ past such as Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) attempt to defend the missing leader. For those unfamiliar with the source material, it will take a bit of time to get used to the frequent cutting around various periods in time. Yet it all comes together exceptionally well, managing to build great suspense as the full story is slowly unveiled.
The performances are exceptional, with several standouts. This is one of Damon’s best roles in some time, and the actor explores a grand arc, beginning as a strong and powerful leader, but later transforming into a traumatized figure struggling to deal with much of what he has experienced and also taken part in. Hathaway has some excellent moments as the put-upon Penelope, subtly keeping suitors away while fearing the worst about her husband. Leguizama is incredible as Eumaeus, a blind man and loyal servant to Odysseus, and Himesh Patel makes an impression as second-in-command Eurylochus, who does his best to keep Odysseus’ increasingly frustrated men at bay during their difficult travels.
On a technical level, this is also a winner. You’ll witness creatively rendered interactions with a giant ogre, as well as an army of enormous soldiers, as well as many other incredibly rendered threats. The cinematography and visual effects are all top-notch and when the action ramps up, all of these scenes are incredibly tense. While the fantastical bits are dazzling, there are also a couple of major conflicts between human forces over the course of the story, with the final showdown delivering perhaps the film’s most memorable and engrossing clash.
And as mentioned, the picture also effectively deals with important themes. There is talk about internal conflicts between states and devastating wars, with Odysseus feeling the weight of the brutality and violence he has witnessed and experienced. While story elements are fantastical, there certainly is a suggestion that the kind of unchecked, cutthroat, power-mad behavior on display by some of these characters ultimately leads to devastation and the fall of civilizations.
The movie is quite long, and does have a couple of on-the-nose lines about themes here and there. But when everything around it is so compelling and expertly staged, it’s impossible not to be impressed.
I don’t want to oversell a movie and set up unrealistic expectations for any viewer. But to me, this picture is incredible and feels like a modern equivalent of titles like Lawrence of Arabia or The Bridge on the River Kwai. The Odyssey is a stunning epic that wonderfully adapts its legendary source material, and should be seen on the biggest screen possible.
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