Rating: Q=6, P=7 / Can’t Get Enough
Scale 1=4, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3
Epic, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Adaptation
Synopsis: After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops, Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.
I had heard many mixed reviews (some very negative) about Christopher Nolan’s new film adaptation of the Odyssey. As a rule, I don’t like reading reviews or film analysis before I see a film. And I certainly try not to have any expectations for films, especially ones that are adapting complex or very familiar stories. Each filmmaker has a duty, in my opinion, to tell a story in THEIR way. They set out to make art, not a report. Film adaptations should not strive to be perfectly “accurate” (which isn’t really possible) or to replicate source material. What would be the point? It is more meaningful to blend and connect and craft something new from something old, I think.
That being said, I really enjoyed The Odyssey. It is a spectacle. It is masterful art on camera. The atmosphere is heavy and chilling. It has spellbinding moments that literally shake you. It left me contemplative and amazed at what cinema can do and how the stories from an ancient poem are still captivating. The script is unexpected, but far from poor—it’s quite thought provoking. Yes, it is star-studded and the dialogue and acting feels weak at times, but the characters do still have motivations and depth. Yes, it isn’t the same as the epic poem and that is a good thing.
