Matt Damon Anchors Christopher Nolan’s Gorgeous, Flawed Odyssey

The Odyssey | In UK Cinemas Now

Christopher Nolan’s three hour epic is big, bold and gorgeous to look at, anchored by a stoic, melancholy Matt Damon performance that gives this mythic voyage its beating heart.

First things first, I want to make it known that I have not read Homer’s original text, any of the array of translations nor was I overly familiar with the story of Odysseus. Therefore, I will be only basing my review of The Odyssey on Christopher Nolan’s latest film, and what a film it is. Christopher Nolan has become one of those filmmakers that, at least for the last two decades, has had his projects become moments and cultural touchstones within contemporary society. Just look at his last effort, 2023’s Oppenheimer, for which he received an abundance of accolades and became one of the most praised films of the last decade.

Now, Nolan is back this summer with a bang with another three hour epic in an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. The Odyssey tells the tale of Odysseus, a soldier from the Trojan war trying to make his long journey home; touching on themes of death, masculinity and honour in a project that is quickly seeming like one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. The film also truly bolsters an all star cast, one where Academy Award winners like Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron show up in small roles just to be part of this expansive world.

At the centre of the story is Odysseus, portrayed with a stoic melancholy by Matt Damon. Damon has demonstrated his powers in both dramatic vulnerability and ruthless action, and his turn in The Odyssey perfectly marries the two sides. Although we follow this great warrior at the centre of the story, Nolan and Damon don’t present him with much bravado, instead there’s a sullenness to Odysseus, a burden of responsibility which powers a strong Matt Damon performance and the weaving narrative as a whole. Back home in Odysseus’ Ithaca sees a whole host of supporting characters, most prominently Tom Holland’s Telemachus and Anne Hathaway’s Penelope. Both do well to ground the film’s more fantastical elements and create an emotional current interspersed with Odysseus’ journey.

Other supporting performances of note include Robert Pattinson, who shows why he’s on track to be one of the greats as the cowardly antagonist Antinous, an eerie and ultimately tragic performance by Samantha Morton as Circe, and maybe the most pleasant surprise was Himesh Patel, who is excellent as Eurylochus, Odysseus’ second in command. There are many more great performances in The Odyssey, great actors playing great characters helping Christopher Nolan create this classic world.

This is Christopher Nolan doing what Christopher Nolan does, large scale spectacle that doesn’t sacrifice any of the craft of filmmaking. Although he has proven time and time again that big budgets and bigger ideas seem to leave him unfazed, Christopher Nolan once again directs his film with a confidence, in his directorial choices and now also in how he handles such a beloved story.

Nolan’s version of The Odyssey never feels like it’s neglecting those who haven’t yet read it, while still being made with evident passion on screen. There are clear influences seeping through, the most evident being the biblical epics popular in the mid 20th century and most significantly Don Chaffey’s Jason and the Argonauts. Whether it be the sprawling narratives or the work done by Ray Harryhausen, Nolan takes the epic genre, and showcases what can be done with today’s technologies.

The Odyssey also marks the first film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, and Hoyte van Hoytema seems to have adored the task. This film is gorgeous, maybe there are times where the focus wanders a touch too much and maybe some of the cuts make some shots seem abrasive, but this film is a visual marvel, one that feels full of as much sea brine grit as there is Greek beauty.

The Odyssey is big, it’s bold and it’s a true feat of what can be achieved in blockbuster cinema at its most extreme. Long time fans of the source material may be upset with some of the decisions, but what Christopher Nolan has made here can only be viewed with respect. Is it perfect? Not quite, maybe there are some pacing issues, maybe the script can sometimes come off a bit clunky and maybe a couple of shots don’t reach the height of the other 98%, but The Odyssey is a film that should be experienced.

Whatever quibbles you might have with the pacing or the odd clunky line, The Odyssey earns its place among the year’s essential trips to the cinema, and EyeOnLondon says see it on the biggest screen you can find.

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[Image Credit | IMDB]

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