‘The Odyssey’ Review: Worthy of the Gods

When it comes to Hollywood, no one creates a spectacle quite like Christopher Nolan. His films are more than just blockbusters. They’re cinematic events that demand your attention, utilizing the best filmmaking techniques the industry has to offer. His follow up to 2023’s Oppenheimer is his most ambitious undertaking yet, which is saying a whole lot for the director who delivered such masterpieces as Memento, Inception, The Prestige, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight. The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic by the poet Homer and is one of humanity’s greatest literary achievements, telling the story of the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, as he desperately attempts to return home after winning the Trojan War. It’s a story that has survived the ages and been the inspiration for countless others, but has been famously difficult to directly adapt due to its ancient style of poetry and themes. If anyone can bring it to the silver screen, it’s Christopher Nolan, and boy does he deliver. The Odyssey is a sprawling epic in every sense of the word as it traverses genres, time periods, and techniques to produce not only one of the best films of the year but also one of the best of Nolan’s filmography. This is why we go to theaters. It’s a story that must be experienced in the biggest format possible; 70MM in IMAX. Simply put, The Odyssey is a film worthy of the gods.

Following the long and deadly Trojan War, a weary but heroic Odysseus (Matt Damon) longs to return home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) who eagerly await his return. He sets out to sea with his crew of soldiers but as time goes by and even as other soldiers return to their homes from the war, there has been no sight of Odysseus or word of his status since he left the shores of Troy. The gods have other plans for him and while it is prophesized that he will return home, he will have to face many trials and lose many men. In Ithaca, suitors fill the halls of Odysseus’ home as they court Penelope to pick on of them to marry and be the next king. She remains faithful to Odysseus and believes him to still be alive, delaying traditions and questioning any wanderer that passes by for news of her beloved. Meanwhile an ever steadfast Odysseus faces cruel seas, terrifying monsters, and the gods themselves in his journey to reunite with his love.

The Odyssey is a journey, not just for Odysseus, but for all those watching glued to their seats, eyes wide open in astonishment. It’s a journey for Christopher Nolan who, as one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors, has no need to prove himself to the masses anymore but likely wants to see how far he can push both himself and the technology he uses to the limit. Odysseus is a mere mortal with a mission to return home who comes up against the gods themselves in his journey. The majority of them are not physically present in the film, but their powers can be felt nonetheless. Poseidon’s harsh seas carry Odysseus and his crew far away from Ithaca, constant winds keep them trapped on an island with little food except for the sun god Helios’ sacred cattle, and Zeus is an ever present force pulling all the strings. other gods are more grounded and physically a part of Odysseus’ journey. Zendaya’s Athena is the most visible god in the film. Her presence is tied to guiding Odysseus to where he needs to go next and often shows up when he questions his faith in himself. Make no mistake, Nolan’s The Odyssey thematically feels like Odyssey is at constant odds with the gods. The gods may be able to control the elements but it’s Odysseus’ perseverance and determination to push forward in defiance of the gods that makes it human.

And while Christopher Nolan has always taken a more grounded approach with his filmography, The Odyssey still features plenty of mythological elements. Once of Odysseus’ first tests is with the giant cyclops Polyphemus, and it’s utterly terrifying. Circe and her witchcraft turn his crew into pigs in a grotesque scene of transformative horror. Odysseus even travels to Hades and confronts the shades of his soldiers who died on the battlefield. The Odyssey learns hard into its horror elements as much as the action. We see the battle of Troy, including the deceptive plot involving the Trojan Horse, through multiple flashbacks throughout. Swords clash, arrows fly, and houses burn as Odysseus and his army storm the impenetrable city. Further into the journey, he and his crew do their best to stand fast against the giant Laestrygonians who use the trees to entrap enemies before stabbing them to death. There are no shortage of ways to die, and Nolan ensures that there is always something terrible around the next corner.

Nowadays it feels like every major blockbuster is filmed in front of a green screen where lighting is pushed to the max so that any and all design choices can be done in post, resulting in a film that may look beautiful at times but still feels flat and generic. It’s evident from the very first moment that Nolan has a clear vision for The Odyssey. Filmed on location across the world using IMAX 70 mm cameras, the scale of the epic cannot be contained by regular theater screens. Every little detail is captured immaculately in film and the score builds and builds in intensity until your heart is ready to jump out of your throat. The final action scene is perhaps one of Nolan’s best across all his filmography. Just as home is the final destination of Odysseus, this feels like a culmination of Nolan’s journey. It’s everything he’s learned from his previous films, perfected.

There was never any doubt in my mind that Nolan would deliver a one-of-a-kind film experience with The Odyssey; his past accolades have earned him the benefit of the doubt. It’s difficult to say where The Odyssey will land among my own ranking of Christopher Nolan’s films, although after just a single viewing it easily climbs towards near the top of Nolan’s Mount Olympus. That is until he makes his next film and outdoes himself once again.