Movie Review : The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX® film technology.
It has been in the news and much awaited for many reasons.
It is an adaptation of Homer’s Greek Epic, Odyssey to screens worldwide, as the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX® Film Cameras.
Following Nolan’s films as The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Oppenheimer etc., this is the most awaited movie of the times shot in 6 countries.
This is Nolan’s 13th feature film offering an immersive & expansive cinematic experience to his fans.
So naturally expectations are sky high for the film. The team has also been across the world for promotions, including Mumbai in their itenarary.
The story revolves around, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, (a rocky Greek isle) who wins the war for Agamemnon with his iconic gambit, the Trojan Horse. Telemachus, is his young adult son, who was an infant when his father left for Troy.
As Odysseus embarks on a crucial leg of a homecoming journey troubled by gods and monsters, storms and tragedy, Telemachus searches for hope that his long-lost father is still alive amid a mounting crisis in Ithaca threatening him and his mother, Penelope. For, a pack of wolfish princes and noblemen have taken residence in the family palace and are pressuring the queen to give up on Odysseus, marry anew, and make one of them, King.
What happens to Penelope's hope? Does Odysseus survive, return and take back his place as king?
The film is around 3 hours long and encapsulates the trials and tribulations, wars, storms, monsters and personal inner battles that Odysseus undergoes, in his struggle to return home.
Matt Damon as the troubled king is fantastic and real as the man overcoming trauma and his battles between appeasing the Gods and acting with free will and taking responsibility for his soldiers.
Anna Hathaway as Penelope is the picture of despair, hope and love, playing her part with immense conviction. Tom Holland as Telemachus does a fine job as the troubled young man, raring to go and prove himself in to his people and protect his mother.
The screenplay has moments of highs interespersed with scenes of the the hero pondering over his state of mind and being,
Several action scenes grab undivided attention like the Trojan horse scenes, the one with Circe, Cyclops, the destruction at Sea, the climax action block in the palace to name a few.
The screenplay is non linear. The music and special vfx is topnotch. The screen seemed to however, have more of darkness, shades of blue and gray at the theatre we watched at which made watching strenuous after a while.
Overall, Odysseus draws you into it's world but doesnt engage nor entertain enough to keep you invested for so long.
Rating 3/5
CREDITS
Cast –Matt Demon as Odysseus, King of Ithaca, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, Anne Hathway as Penelope, Queen of Ithaca, Robert Patterson, Lupita Nyong’O, Samantha Morton etc.
Cinematography- Hoyte van Hoytema
Music- Ludwig Göransson
Editor -Jennifer Lame
Special Effects Supervisor –Scott Fisher
Visual Effects Supervisor- Andrew Jackson
Costume Design- Ellen Mirojnick
Release by Universal Pictures
