The Mosley Review: The Odyssey

Outside of the worlds of Tolkien, George R. R. Martin and Frank Herbert and second only to the Roman Empire and The Bible, there are no other stories that better encapsulate the meaning of the word Epic than Greek Mythology. For over hundreds of years, the story of The Iliad and the vast poems of author Homer inspired artists of all kinds and taught lessons of humility, compassion, strength and how to treat others in the most civil way even if they have bad intentions. The action, romance and scope of these iconic stories have always been the centerpiece, but the best adaptations have explored the characters internally. The demand for quality storytelling could not be higher as it calls for someone with a clear vision and understanding of the material to deliver a new and fresh perspective to a story we all know. Christopher Nolan has already carved his place in history as one of the best storytellers of our time and now, he has truly shown that he is one of the few that can deliver a true cinematic experience like no other. His ability to transport you back in time in a more grounded and practical way was unbelievable and brings back to life the discipline of the old school filmmaking. The shear scope and tone of the film was almost biblical and I loved the heavier themes at work. Not a frame was wasted nor a performance was phoned in.

Matt Damon leads this voyage as Odysseus and I couldn't believe how much nuance and depth he brought to the character. He's often portrayed as the silent hero in the greater battle of Troy and the wisest and this iteration touches on that, but Damon takes a deeper look into the man. His devotion to his men was at his core as he was a strong leader and his defiance to the Gods was great, but what I truly enjoyed was the weight he carries with every choice he makes. There was remorse for the violence he helped release upon the people of Troy and then his dedication to fulfilling a promise to not only his fallen, but to his family was inspiring. Anne Hathaway commands the screen as his ever patient and devoted wife, Penelope. Their chemistry was the core of the emotional undertone of the film and I felt her heart break when he went on his mission. Her steadfast belief and internal rage and dismay was wonderfully explored in a scene with her son. Tom Holland did a great job as their grown son, Telemachus. His honor was always tested and I loved that he kept the laws set by the household. The bond between him and his mother was explored well and his over eagerness overshadowed the stress of the situation in the palace. All three of them were fantastic together in many so ways. John Leguizamo was outstanding as Odysseus' blind servant, Eumaeus. John brought a level of grace, truth and wisdom to the character and he felt more like a brother to Odysseus than a servant. The time he spends with Telemachus was interesting as he was not only a great teacher, but a mentor as well. Himesh Patel steals the film as Odysseus's second in command, Eurylochus. Whether it was in battle or facing the unknown waters on the boat, he would was right there with Odysseus and he wasn't afraid to challenge him on many of his questionable decisions. Their chemistry was great and Himesh almost commanded many scenes better than Damon. Robert Pattinson was perfect as the ever slimey and plotting, Antinous. Even though he was loyal to the thrown, he was more loyal to his own ambitions and I loved how Robert brought to the surface his cowardly underbelly. Zendaya was great as the ever present Goddess Athena and I loved the haunting nature of the character. Her appearance only to Odysseus eyes was a great theme that plays throughout the film and I loved how it is resolved. Samantha Morton was terrifying and brilliant as the witch, Circe. Her entire segment of the story was both haunting and a hard truth for the period. The commentary at hand in her scene was clear and played a double role in the practical and disturbing horror element of her character.

Composer Ludwig Göransson continues to deliver some of the most haunting, epic and beautiful scores. His unique style of mixing modern voices with the classical sounds were wondrous and added to the scope and almost biblical nature of the story. The cyclops and Laestrygonians sequences were equally spectacular and horrific as Ludwig's score felt like two different horror films filled with despair and pain. My only gripe is the Nolan’s persistent need to deafen the audio in his films when it comes to dialogue. I love the bombast score, clashing of swords and crashing waves all day, but lets keep the voice track clean next time. One thing I truly loved was that this adaptation of the story was done in a non-linear fashion which added another layer of desperation and intrigue as it all gets revealed. The Fall of Troy was apart of that and it was more than just the end of the war for Odysseus. The technical achievement of this film cannot be understated as what you see on screen is 99% in camera. I say 99% because there is a creature that is obviously CGI, but the rest of the film uses classic techniques like forced perspective and shifting sets outdoors. This was movie magic at its finest and entirely captured on true IMAX film stock. There's so much more I can gush about, but I'd rather you experience this masterpiece yourselves. The 1997 miniseries has always been my favorite version of the epic tale and now, Christopher Nolan has delivered what I consider to be the best adaptation. If you can secure tickets to an IMAX 70MM screening, do it because then you will truly experience this touchstone moment of cinematic history and a the sheer scope of the legendary story. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!