TL;DR – The Odyssey is a rare blockbuster that combines spectacle, emotion, and myth in equal measure. It left me awestruck, unsettled, and completely engrossed from beginning to end.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

Warning – Contains scenes with flashing lights.

The Odyssey Review Introduction

There are many foundational myths across the world, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, Kebra Nagast, and Beowulf, to name a few. Each is written in a style of myth and history in a way that evokes the human condition. Today we look at Christopher Nolan’s dive into this world, taking on the unenviable task of bringing The Odyssey to the big screen.  

So, to set the scene, it has been twenty years since Odysseus (Matt Damon) left on the command of Agamemnon (Benny Safdie) to siege Troy and return the ‘kidnapped’ Helen (Lupita Nyong’o) to Menelaus (Jon Bernthal). However, it has been eight years since the city fell to the Trojan Horse gambit, and Odysseus has still not returned home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland). This has been enough time for new suitors to start sniffing around, trying to gain the kingship of Ithaca via marrying Penelope. She has held them off for years, even as they use Zeus’ Sacred law to bleed her dry with banquet after banquet. Penelope holds on, partly because she knows they will kill her son as soon as a new heir is born, but also because deep down in her heart, she knows that Odysseus is alive out there somewhere.

Historical Accuracy

Okay, the internet has seemingly decided they are experts in Ancient Greece, even though they tend to be talking more about Classical Greece rather than the more era-appropriate Mycenaean Greece, which is the setting here. But given that, we will address it right from the start. Is The Odyssey a historically accurate representation? Absolutely not. And you do not have to take my word for it, I assume in the coming days the internet will be full of classicist historians pointing out the difference. Such as, their armour is from the wrong period, the clothes are too drab, and the ships are Viking for some reason. Though, while wrong, I do have to admit that ship rocked, and the people who constructed it should be proud of their accomplishments.  

However, the main question is: does this impact the story they are trying to tell? And the answer is a resounding no. First, The Odyssey is fundamentally a work of myth rather than history, so strict historical accuracy is not essential to its success. But more importantly, much like A Knight’s Tale, it is taking a historical setting and then reinterpreting it for a modern audience so that its heart is not lost in translation. So yes, does it make any historical sense to depict the Laestrygonians wearing full, almost medieval armour? No. But in that moment when they appear from the mist, you instantly know that the crew is outmatched without a word of dialogue. This is an important choice because it helps define the bedrock of the message Nolan wants to present to his audience about The Odyssey’s connection to the present. It also removed barriers for the audience without lessening the narrative by focusing on those visual touchstones.

Production

So, we have established it is not historically accurate; however, with that in mind, how is the general production of the film? Well, few people do it as well as Nolan and his team, and this is a stunningly beautiful film to watch. One of the things that we have lost in the race back to rear projection is the texture filming on location brings. This is a film that does what big blockbusters used to do: jump across the world to find the best places to tell their stories. Is Iceland anywhere near the Mediterranean? No. But do its dark, rocky beaches make a perfect location to see the edge of the world of death? Absolutely.

Hoyte van Hoytema brings this world to life, creating night scenes that feel both illuminated by natural light and are not the dull, dingy affairs that we have become used to. Also, making the dark feel absolutely terrifying when it needed to be. I am slightly dubious as to the claims of it all being in-camera in some sequences; however, that does not take away from the technical brilliance that you are watching play out in front of you. There is a sequence involving animals that is a particularly interesting construction that I am sure people will pick apart frame-by-frame to see how they did it. Also, in a year where we already have a stacked awards line-up for best musical composition, Ludwig Göransson strolls in to throw his hat in the mix with a score that held me with every note. Now, Nolan films have struggled in the past with regards to the sound mix. In my screening, I didn’t have an issue with it, but others I talked to after did, so your mileage may vary here.

The Cast

To say that Christopher Nolan brings out the best of his ensembles is not a controversial statement given his past filmography. You just have to look at Dunkirk or Oppenheimer and see how he gives even small roles the power to take over a scene. There is a reason people keep going back to work with him. For me, I think this is some of the best work that Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway have done, and they completely guide the film as the leads. Matt brings that dangerous cockiness and sheer determined stubbornness; Tom has that child forced to grow up reaching too far, but maybe not far enough as his enemies circle, and Anne is the rock on which all the schemes of man smash across and flounder.     

However, when we go further, there are gems everywhere to be found. Robert Pattinson is a truly duplicitous little brat as Antinous, and it is nice to see him get his teeth into this almost ‘middle-manager trying for greatness while the boss is away’ role. John Leguizamo might be giving his best performance in an age as Eumaeus, a real contender for that supporting gong. Lupita Nyong’o is electrifying in her dual role, Samantha Morton creeped me to the core as Circe, and Himesh Patel perfectly walks the tightrope as Eurylochus, sympathetic but also undermining. Finally, the choices Zendaya makes with the presentation and depiction of Athena are some of the boldest swings the film takes.

The Story

The story of The Iliad and The Odyssey is so widespread that I would be shocked that anyone going in didn’t have at least some familiarity of the story. Even if that is just the idea of the Trojan Horse, or maybe knowing about the Sirens, or maybe they have read a modern rendition of the tale as we see in works such as Percy Jackson. Understanding this, Nolan uses the Fall of Troy as one of the three anchor points for the narrative. While it is not as explicit as some of his other works, there is still a great deal of time-play with this narrative as we jump along the timeline between the present, the past, and as Odysseus recants his travels. This always keeps the narrative moving at a relatively fast clip, which is important in an almost three-hour film with no intermission.

While I won’t go into this in great detail, as the film holds its cards close to its chest, but I did find it particularly interesting how Nolan shaped the narrative. While part of it is clearly constructing the narrative so that a modern audience can peer into the past, into a world of myth and wonder. It would be disingenuous not to point out that the other part of the story is using the past to have a conversation with the present about the world we live in. It does get more than a little uncomfortable at times, and while I would like to talk more about this, I think it is best that I let you discover this on your own.             

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend The Odyssey? Absolutely. I am not sure when we would get a film as bold and brash as this that eats up the screen. It is one of the rare times when I will tell you that you should see this on the biggest screen you can, and yes, even an IMAX [not a sponsor] if you have one close to you. I am honestly tossing up making the trek all the way down to the Gold Coast to try and see it in its full glory. The Odyssey was one of those films that completely captured me from the beginning to the end. A film that made me feel many different emotions, from grandeur to horror and everything in between.    

Have you watched The Odyssey? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked The Odyssey, we would recommend Dune Part One and/or Part Two to you because they might be the only comparable films out there at the moment that understand the power of spectacle, the strength of symbolism, and the texture of the real.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Odyssey
Directed by – Christopher Nolan
Screenplay by – Christopher Nolan
Based on – Homer’s Odyssey
Music by – Ludwig Göransson
Cinematography by – Hoyte van Hoytema
Edited by – Jennifer Lame
Production/Distribution Companies – Syncopy & Universal Pictures
Starring – Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Bill Irwin, Himesh Patel, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Jimmy Gonzales, Andrew Howard, Travis Scott, Elliot Page, James Remar, & Elyes Gabel
With – Jesse Garcia, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Anthony Molinari, Jovan Adepo, Sean Avery, & Ian Casselberry.
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: PG; Germany: na; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: 15; United States: PG-13