Ifwe had to describe The Odyssey in one word, it would be “audacious“.
But if there was one director who would be able to pull off an adaptation of an 2000-year-old ancient Greek epic poem, it would be Christopher Nolan.
And he nails it. The Odyssey is not just an epic retelling with more action - It is an "epic" in every modern sense of the word.
The original Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem by Homer about Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, who is also known as the mastermind behind the famous "Trojan Horse" deception that led to the sacking of Troy in Homer's other epic poem, The Illiad.
The Odyssey is set after the sacking of Troy, and tells of the perilous 10-year-long journey Odysseus and his men undertake on the way home, encountering mythical beings such as the one-eyed Cyclops, the giant worm-like Scylla, the witch-goddess Circe, and more.
Back home in Ithica, Odysseus' wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) have to deal with a group of suitors seeking her hand in marriage and claim the throne, led by smarmy, scheming nobleman Antinous (Robert Pattinson).
In case you've never heard of The Odyssey (where have you been these 2000 years?), or think Homer is just a yellow-skinned cartoon character with a beer belly, don't worry. You don't need to have read original epic poem to know what is going on here.
In fact, rather than "adapting' Homer's tale, Nolan has ‘updated’ it instead, making it a lot easier for modern audiences to follow and understand it, while still maintaining the essence of the story.
Nolan famously takes a more "realistic approach" to the movie, and it is to his credit that even the more fantasy-like elements have serious mythical weight to them.
The encounter with Polyphemus the cyclops, for instance, is a horrifyingly tense sequence that reinforces the helplessness that puny humans may feel when measured against the might of gods and monsters
The action sequences are not just there to provide "money shots" for trailers either. Each scene feels essential, with stakes as high as Mt Olympus itself, and Nolan does not treat death lightly, even as the blood flows freely as it does in the sacking of Troy.
It is also testament to his skills that even though the cast is stacked with A-listers, they manage to come together so well as an ensemble, with not a single star outshining the other.
The exception to that rule is Damon. Yes, it’s another movie about him trying to get home, but jokes aside, this is arguably his finest performance yet.
He may not have the A-list attitude nor hundred-watt Hollywood smile of a Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, but that's the whole point.
Damon's Odysseus is not a hero – he's a husband, a father, and above all, a war-weary man weighed down by the deadly consequences of his Trojan horse ‘idea’.
The Odyssey is not a story of how he overcomes adversity, but of how he confronts his guilt, and Damon portrays this perfectly.
There really is nothing much to complain about The Odyssey, though if you’re looking for something light and fun, this is not it. Coming in at almost three hours, you’ll need to invest yourself fully into the movie in order to get the full experience. (Our advice: go to the bathroom before the movie).
Oh, and by the way, Nolan shot The Odyssey entirely on IMAX's 70mm film cameras (the first film ever to do so), and although that exact format is not available in Malaysia, it is still worth watching in IMAX nonetheless, for an immensely immersive experience.
Whichever format you choose, and whether you're a casual fan of movies or a Nolan geek, The Odyssey is undoubtedly a journey worth undertaking.
Summary:
Epic in every modern sense of the word.
