- Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is a visually stunning, ambitious adaptation of Homer's epic.
- The film features impressive performances from Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. It challenges viewers.
- While not Nolan's best, its emotional depth and complex structure leave a lasting impact.
SALT LAKE CITY — There are movies you instantly know you love. There are movies you spend the drive home trying to figure out. Then there are movies that stick with you long after the drive home, the next day at work, and a few days after that.
Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" firmly belongs in that last category.
I walked out of the theater stunned by what I had just seen. The scale is staggering. The craftsmanship borders on unbelievable. I couldn't stop thinking about how Nolan managed to put something this enormous on screen.
But when my wife asked if I loved it, I honestly didn't know how to answer. Days later, I think I finally do: I liked it. I admired it. I may even grow to love it someday.
For you, it could be something you know you love long before it's over. Or maybe you're like my wife and know it wasn't for you. But for me, this is the kind of movie that sweeps you away with immediate excitement. It's an experience that settles in slowly and asks you to wrestle with it long after the credits roll.
A timeless journey returns
Based on Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey" follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he struggles to return home after the Trojan War. His journey stretches across two decades and brings encounters with monsters, gods, impossible choices, and the family desperately waiting for his return.
It's one of the oldest stories ever told, and one that's been adapted countless times, from faithful retellings to modern interpretations like "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
That alone makes this adaptation a daunting challenge.
Leave it to Christopher Nolan to make it even harder.
Rather than telling the story chronologically, Nolan fractures the timeline, weaving together the beginning, middle and end in a way that slowly reveals the full picture. Considering this is a Nolan film, this should come as no surprise.
If that sounds intimidating, don't worry, it is.
Unlike some of Nolan's earlier films, "The Odyssey" isn't difficult to follow. The structure actually adds intrigue as pieces fall into place and familiar moments gain new meaning.
Nolan's biggest swing
This is, without question, Christopher Nolan's most ambitious film.
That's saying something for the director behind "Inception," "Interstellar" and "Oppenheimer."
Everything here feels enormous.
The sweeping locations, massive practical sets, elaborate costumes, and colossal battle sequences redefine what an epic can look like on screen. Even if the movie ultimately isn't your favorite Nolan film, it's hard not to appreciate the sheer audacity of what he accomplishes.
From a filmmaking standpoint, it's astonishing.
Matt Damon gives one of the best performances of his career. His Odysseus carries the physical exhaustion of war alongside the emotional weight of a man trying to find his way home.
Tom Holland brings heart and determination to Telemachus, while Anne Hathaway commands every scene she's in with remarkable presence.
Nearly every frame feels handcrafted. It's the kind of movie that reminds you why people still go to theaters.
Not every chapter lands
For all its brilliance, I found myself unevenly invested.
The opening hour takes its time finding its footing. I was interested, but I wasn't emotionally connected yet. Once that connection arrived, though, I was completely locked in.
Some sequences are among the most captivating Nolan has ever directed. Others linger longer than they need to. At nearly three hours, there are stretches that feel drawn out, and I couldn't help but wonder if a tighter edit would have strengthened the overall experience.
Thankfully, the finale is extraordinary.
It delivers an emotional payoff that retroactively improves much of what came before it.
Parents should know
"The Odyssey is rated R, and the rating is well earned.
The violence is frequent, intense and often brutal. While the film generally avoids excessive gore, the impact of the violence is disturbing and emotionally heavy. There is also a visceral body horror scene that will be very disturbing to many audiences.
There are three uses of the F-word throughout the film and relatively little additional profanity. There is no sexual content, although there is brief non-sexual nudity in a few scenes.
More than anything, parents should understand the film's emotional tone.
This is not an uplifting adventure. It's a dark, weighty exploration of war, loss, survival and the emotional scars left behind.
Worth your time?
What surprised me most wasn't what happened on screen. It was what happened after.
My wife and I barely spoke for the first half of our drive home. Not because we disliked the movie or each other, but because we were still processing what we'd experienced.
Interestingly, we came away with very different reactions.
She respected the filmmaking but didn't enjoy the heaviness of the experience.
I understood exactly what she meant.
As the days passed, I realized I appreciated "The Odyssey" more than I initially thought. I don't rank it among Christopher Nolan's very best films, but I deeply respect it. Its ambition is breathtaking, and its execution is often remarkable.
Still, I couldn't help but miss something I found in films like "Interstellar" and "Inception".
Those movies challenged me while also leaving me filled with wonder and hope.
"The Odyssey" challenges you and fills you with wonder, too, but it's a different kind of wonder and it leaves you carrying something much heavier.
Whether that's exactly what you're looking for may ultimately determine how much this remarkable, ambitious epic stays with you.
