The Odyssey movie review: Christopher Nolan crafts a visual masterpiece that strips the glory from war

Trust Christopher Nolan to deliver a strong message on the futility of war through an age-old story based on Greek mythology. Nolan, one of the greatest auteurs of our time, weaves the most beautiful and poignant story of homecoming and redemption in his latest, The Odyssey. Based on Homer’s age-old poem, the Odyssey, which is set after the Trojan War as King Odysseus and his men make their way back home, Nolan’s film looks beyond the mythology and delivers a story that astounds you from the word go. It is a story that may have its origin in Greek mythology, but its relevance to the present times is hard to miss. The release of the film feels timely as the world is engulfed in one war or the other. The Odyssey is not just about Odysseus' long journey back home but of realisation, of coming of age, of being just and fair - qualities that make a true leader stand out from the herd. The story is also about men and their lofty egos and ambition, which lead to mayhem and blind them to reality.

What is the plot of The Odyssey?

It's been 20 years since Odysseus (Matt Damon) set out with his army for Troy. His kingdom, Ithaca, is now in shambles with suitors lining up and feasting every night, eyeing to marry his wife, Queen Penelope (Anne Hathaway). The kingdom knows about Odysseus’ victory at Troy, but he is now presumed dead as most of his men have made their way back home. Only Penelope, their son Telemachus (Tom Holland) and the blind Eumaeus(John Leguizamo), a trusted aide of Odysseus, still believe he's alive.

The film relies on a non-linear format, where Odysseus, now living with nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), is slowly getting his memory back. The film then goes back in time, where Odysseus slowly recalls the Trojan War and events that followed as he and his men made a long journey back home.

Meanwhile, tired of waiting, Telemachus sets out to Sparta to meet its king, Menelaus, who had served as a commander for Odysseus in the Trojan War, to seek answers about his father, whom he has never met. Back home, his mother Penelope continues to ward off suitors, including the conniving Antinous (Robert Pattinson), hoping that Odysseus will keep his promise and make his way back home.

The Odyssey’s larger-than-life scale

Touted as one of Nolan’s most expensive films to date and shot entirely on IMAX cameras, The Odyssey is set on a grand scale. To put together a long journey of Odysseus and his men, where he encounters gods, monsters, witches and cursed lands, is not an easy task. While many are familiar with Homer’s poem, which has dominated folklore and influenced cultures all over the world, it is still no mean feat to create that world and with such conviction. Nolan gathers some of the most well-known faces from British and American cinema to create the mythical world. The sets, the characters, and the vastness of the sea overwhelm you at times just the way it is intended to.

Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who is a frequent collaborator with Nolan in his films, brings alive the mythical world in all its grandeur. From the scenes inside the wooden horse to the men rampaging Troy to Odysseus and his men getting trapped in a cave with a giant Polyphemus, are visually stunning.

Robert Pattinson, Matt Damon shine

Nolan lines up stars like Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Himesh Patel, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Jon Bernthal and others in prominent roles. They all deliver to their parts well. Zendaya and Theron are in cameo appearances; however, they make their presence felt with their strong performances. The film, however, belongs to Matt Damon and Robert Pattinson. Pattinson’s Antinous is a conving, sly man who is easy to hate amid all the bravado and heroism that the film narrates. He plays the character with such conviction that it is hard to separate the actor from the character. Pattinson should be earning a few nominations for his performance in the awards season next year.

The film banks heavily on Matt Damon and his performance. It is, after all, a film on his character Odysseus. Damon plays the just, brave king with utmost conviction. The man who has time and again marvelled us with performances in iconic films humanises Odysseus. A man who fought and won a war, who dared death and tried to bring his army home, Odysseus is a man who has seen it all and lived to tell the tale. Damon makes the man human, who is flawed but is also eager for redemption.

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Nolan’s writing

While the film is technically flawless, for me, The Odyssey wins for its brilliant messaging. Adapted for screen by Nolan, the film shows the flipside of war. Trojan War is a tale that we are all aware of. For centuries, the bravado of the men who fought the war has been talked about; it has been part of the folklore. But the film talks of the redemption of Odysseus, of a man whose valour and greatness were celebrated, but Nolan talks of how he felt guilty of violating what was sacred in Troy. A scene near the climax shows Odysseus talking of how he destroyed so much just to win a war, how he had repentance for the men who died along the way, for the destruction that was caused in Troy, for the fall of priestess Athena, who eventually became his guiding light back home. Those moments are so beautifully written than makes you emotional, poignant and question the current times where war and violence dominate headlines more than news of peace.

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The director also talks of men and the evil side of loot and how, often, it's the women who are at the receiving end. As men plunder and loot, they violate women, those who resist and are quickly termed as witches. When men go to war, their wives are supposed to wait and hold the fort and even prove their loyalty years later when their husband make their way back home. The Odyssey is a story of not just Odysseus alone but of Penelope’s as well, who single-handedly brought up their son, took care of a failing kingdom, and never lost hope for her husband. It is also a tale of Circe, the witch and goddess from the island of Aeaea, who had to turn her sister into a crow just to keep her safe from prying, wandering men of the sea. It is a story of the young Sinon, who was wronged and sent to war as a kid, and also the story of Telemachus, a young man who grew up only on stories of his father but has never met him and yet has to protect his honour

Cast of The Odyssey Photograph: (X)

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Final verdict

The Odyssey is 172 minutes long but has no dull moment. Christopher Nolan weaves a magical tale of mythical islands, of forbidden forests, of treacherous voyages and of a King desperate to go back home. At the same time, The Odyssey is a story of redemption, of penance, of loyalty, of learning from mistakes. Above all, it talks of the futility of war and that perhaps should be a good enough reason to watch this film.

If there is any film that you need to watch this weekend, it should be The Odyssey.