You know a film is going to be big when friends are hitting you up months in advance for tickets to the premiere.  Christopher Nolan has become the most renowned mainstream director of our time and there is seemingly nothing he cannot do.  He made a 3-hour movie about politics and theoretical physics with an introverted hero… and it still made $1 billion USD at the global box-office in addition to winning seven Academy Awards (the most since Slumdog Millionaire in 2008).

I can’t believe I’m saying this about a guy who directed Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Tenet… but The Odyssey may be his most ambitious project yet.  History books credit the Greek poet Homer as writing an epic 121,000 word “spoken song” and now, close to 3,000 years later, Christopher Nolan adapts for the big screen with a grandeur that meets the 21st Century’s definition of “epic”.

If new to the source material, it’s centred on a flawed, heroic protagonist, Odysseus (Damon), who is victorious after leading his soldiers into a bloody battle against sworn enemies.  It’s a tough fight but the sea journey back home to Ithaca will be even tougher.  In addition to the metaphorical demons that ravage his mind, Odysseus and his dwindling crew must defeat a series of physical demons which the Gods have placed in their path as punishment.  To use a modern reference point, it’s the kind of tale you’d expect if Marvel Studios existed in Ancient Greece!

It’s hard to find fault in the film’s production values.  The editing stood out with Jennifer Lame (Manchester by the Sea) shifting between locations, subplots and timelines with precision.  Certain shots are used multiple times (e.g. Odysseus sitting on stairs, a sunset) with each use adding extra meaning given what has preceded it.  Lame keeps things moving at a brisk pace too and, like Oppenheimer which she also worked on, the 172-minute run time will fly by faster than you expect.

The music of Ludwig Göransson bolsters the film’s dark tone, the production and costume designers add credibility to the scenarios, and the cast members have been wisely chosen.  A rough-looking Matt Damon (The Martian) is excellent as Odysseus but it’s the supporting players who you might remember most because of their memorable cameos – from John Leugizamo (Moulin Rouge) as an empathetic blind man through to Samantha Morton (Sweet and Lowdown) as a conniving goddess who preys on the vulnerable.

The Odyssey is a brilliant movie, but I’ll concede it’s heavy going.  It’s as if every character is depressed and mentally tortured for the full duration.  There’s no room for levity.  This is a “tragedy” in every sense of the word!  The density of Homer’s work also requires several subplots to be hurried.  These include a cave-hiding Cyclops, an island with dangerously alluring female singers, and a wise oracle played by Zendaya.

With relevant themes and messages worth reflecting upon, The Odyssey is yet another experience from Christopher Nolan that you won’t soon forget.