THE ODYSSEY is a grand cinematic achievement which captures the sprawling, tragic, and moving epic of Homer’s Odyssey. Larger than life images move with great force, grit and earthiness. The music entrances you. It’s riveting, and every moment feels earned.
The Odyssey is directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Oppenheimer), and adapts Homer’s 2000-year old epic poem from Ancient Greece. It stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the great hero of Ithaca, who has taken 10 years to journey home after winning the Trojan War.
After much anticipation for this film, it brings me great joy to say that is brilliant achievements in every way. It showcases masterful direction, thoughtful and moving performances, and a combination of editing techniques and music that make for moments which are truly transcendent and out-of-body experiences.
There is one scene in particular, toward the middle of the film, that depicts the fall of the gates of Troy after the Trojan Horse is taken inside, which is so magnificently put together that it instantly becomes one of the most important scenes for any student or lover of film to study.
The combination of the music which rises in volume, pace and pitch, with the increasingly fast editing and physical pace of the actors, all culminating in the reveal of Agamemnon storming the gates and taking Troy, is absolutely breathtaking, specifically because it entrances you in a way where you are totally tranfxied in the moment, your body rising with the elevated tension of the scene, to a beautiful crescendo of release. Most impressive, this roughly 5 minute sequence features zero dialogue. The sort of filmmaking is difficult to achieve, and to make it a widldly entertaining as Nolan does is a feat to be admired.
The Odyssey is not only a testament to the fact that Christopher Nolan is one of the most talented filmmakers alive, it’s a deeply moving tribute to one of the greatest stories in Western literature.
Nolan simply understands what makes Homer’s epic poem so special. The film is a grand cinematic achievement which captures the sprawling, tragic, and moving epic that is Homer’s Odyssey. Larger than life images move with great force, grit and earthiness. The music entrances you. It’s riveting, and every moment feels earned. The back-and-forth nature of the non-linear story is a core element from Homer’s epic poem.
The poem itself moves back and forth between Odysseus adventures, his past accomplishments, and what is happening in Ithaca in present day. Nolan for his part as a director, is skilfully equipped to adapt this. He is brilliant at using cross-cutting techniques to build tension and most importantly, draw out emotional resonance that you did not know was there.
The Odyssey is the film that you absolutely must see in theatres this year. It will be spoken about for decades to come, for its technical prowess, brilliant storytelling, and transportive emotional experience. See it in IMAX, and just feel it.
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