Writer/Director Christopher Nolan has followed up his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” with an epic adaptation of the classic Greek tale of the Odyssey. The tale and its companion piece, The Iyad by Homer, outline an epic adventure around the decade long Seige of Troy and the aftermath.
Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, who commands his troops during the siege and the subsequent victory with the Trojan Horse tactic. The crux of the story involves his efforts to return home after the war and the various mythological dangers they encounter along the way.
Telemachus (Tom Holland) has grown up never knowing his father and despises the many suitors who show up nightly to drink their wine and eat their food to court his mother Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who believes that her husband is not going to return and has concerns about the leadership of her land without a king. Her son is in danger from suitors who would gladly dispatch an heir, especially from Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who has made no secret of his desire for the position and will stop at nothing to get it.
The story weaves between the challenges that befall Odysseus and his crew and the quest to learn of his fate by his son. One side is an adventure filled with supernatural beings, and the other is a drama filled with an incredible supporting cast.
The three-hour run time flies by, and I was never once distracted thinking that the movie was dragging. I did wonder why some elements that I thought needed more explanation were glossed over while others were given more time than I thought was needed. This was to me a simple stylistic choice as I had wondered why a military crew capable of sailing to Troy was unable to find their way back easily after they opted not to follow the rest of the fleet. Truly, the old adage about shortcuts has a basis here.
The cast is amazing, and the visual factor of the film captures the era. The movie is truly an epic tale brought to life, and one that I am sure will get lots of attention come awards time. The lavish epic bursts from the screen as we saw the 70MM IMAX version, and is the pure epic escapism and adventures that movies were made for.
Nolan has continued to show that he is one of the true legends in the history of cinema and has built another impressive masterpiece to his collection. “The Odyssey” was epic in scale and engaging from start to finish. A fantastic cast and visuals brings the timeless tale to the screen in a modern masterpiece.
5 stars out of 5
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