Homer's ancient Greek epic poem brought to the screen.
(Since it looks like "The Odyssey" is going to be the big epic blockbuster of the year, I thought it deserved to have my review stand alone on its own blog page, so you only need to read one this time)!
This almost three-hour film written and directed by Christopher Nolan and produced with his wife Emma Thomas is an adaptation of Homer's epic Greek poem, with Nolan taking some liberties in the storytelling, but the film is indeed an epic. Filming took place from February to August 2025 at locations all over the world (Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, Western Sahara and Malta) and stars an epic cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, and Charlize Theron. With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is among the most expensive films of Nolan's career (and you know, he also did "Oppenheimer," "Inception," "Interstellar" and "Dunkirk," among others), and the first feature film ever to be shot entirely on IMAX 70 mm cameras. It has already grossed over $346 million and won critical acclaim for Nolan and the actors.
In the film, Odysseus (Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, has been away from Ithaca for 20 years after fighting in the Trojan War. He tried to get home to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Hathaway), but he and his men didn't have it easy. They met many obstacles along the way including a cyclops, man-eating giants, sirens, the witch, Circe (Morton), who turned the men into pigs for a bit and topped off with a side-trip into Hades. Odysseus eventually ends up in Ogygia with the nymph, Calypso (Theron), who is infaturated with him and keeps him high and forgetful on lotus flowers so he has no memory of his life in Ithaca.
Meanwhile, Penelope faithfully awaits Odysseus but her castle is awash in suitors who, assuming Odysseus is dead, are hanging out, eating her food and aggressively courting her, especially nobleman Antinous (Pattinson), who wants to claim the throne from Odysseus and Penelope's son, Telemachus (Holland). Only Penelope, Telemachus, and half-blind servant, Eumaeus (Leguizamo), still believe Odysseus will return and the film has an epic, if a bit overlong, conclusion.
Lots more happens, because, after all, this movie is an almost three hour long epic, and I would say this is probably the apex of Nolan's directorial career and has Oscar written all over it. The production values and visual effects were amazing, especially the scenes with the Trojan Horse, and the actors were all first-rate, with shout outs to Samantha Morton and John Leguizamo. Leguizamo has been making a name for himself as a dramatic actor these days. Who knew?
But the highest acting praise goes to Matt Damon, who is in practically every scene and gives it his all. This is his year, and he is at the height of his acting powers. He was wonderful and was the dramatic glue that held the story together. I believed he was Odysseus and I rooted for him to get home to Penelope.
But despite my appreciation for the actors and what it took to bring this story to the screen and the underlying themes that war is very bad and we should treat each other as we want to be treated, this was just not my kind of film. It was too long (Nolan likes long films), and there were too many men running around in armor killing each other. And despite my love of all things Greek and Roman mythology when I was in middle school, I found the cutting back and forth from present to past and past to present hard to follow at times, especially when they were in short spurts, and likewise, it was sometimes difficult figuring out who was who and how they fit into the story. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had seen it in IMAX but that wasn't possible since there are only 25 true IMAX theatres in the entire U.S.(though there are lesser versions out there - IMAX with laser and digital IMAX). So I question making a film in IMAX when few people will be able to see it in its full glory.
But overall, I am glad I saw it in the theatre, because this seems to be the must-see movie of the year. Everyone has either already seen it or plans to, and I want to be in the know when it wins all of the awards. Don't you?
Rosy the Reviewer says...ring, ring. Christopher Nolan? Oscar calling. Ring, ring. Matt Damon? Oscar calling. (In theatres)
