Ever since the days of the ancient Greek tragedies by Sophocles and Euripides and even earlier, ‘The Odyssey’ has been a significant part of western literature. As a result, there have been countless screen versions from the days of silent movies right up to the present day with Christopher Nolan’s feature film the most recent.
Following the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus sets off to return to his kingdom of Ithaca but it takes him a decade to come back. On his protracted journey home, he encounters all sorts of monsters and supernatural beings who delay his return. Meanwhile back home, Odysseus is presumed dead and his queen Penelope has to fend off all sorts of suitors who want first option at marrying her to gain control of the kingdom.
Since this epic has been around for so long and been the subject of many previous incarnations, any new version has to rely on how the legendary story is presented. In this latest screen version, no expense has been spared to recreate the Mycenaean world. (This movie’s original budget was in the hundreds of millions and thus far it appears to have more than recouped this cost at the box office).
The Hollywood budget ensures lavish production values evident in the stellar cast, elaborate sets, scenic locations and authentic special effects. All the familiar tropes are present from the legendary Trojan horse to the supernatural characters including the cyclops, giants and a few others, some seen and some unseen.
The stellar cast, apart from Matt Damon in the lead, includes Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, Tom Holland as his son Telemachus and Robert Pattinson as Antonius one of the treacherous suitors for Queen Penelope. It is rather novel to see him playing a villain with no redeeming characteristics.
‘The Odyssey’ directed by Christopher Nolan.
In this version, the film darts back and forth from the cabals in Ithaca to Odysseus’ travails on his way back home. It also moves back and forth from the present to the past to fill in the background to the story as it unfolds in present time. Thus Mat Damon in particular keeps ageing ten years and un-ageing throughout.
The only elements that might jar are the length – at nearly three hours – as it might tend to flag a little at times. To counter this, there are many action scenes – mainly battles among mortals or between mortals and otherworldly creatures. Unsurprisingly, there is more than a touch of gore.
Perhaps the most jarring element (for this reviewer at least) is that these Mycenaean legends speak with noticeable U.S. accents. Clearly, no one of this period spoke English but a touch of Shakespearean eloquence might have been a tad more appropriate for the royals, aristocrats and heroes of antiquity. (But then this is a Hollywood production).
Since ‘The Odyssey’ had been around for over two millennia, it clearly has lasting appeal. Consequently, if it is imaginatively recreated, it is bound to succeed and impress beyond the standard ‘sword and sandal’ fodder of similar movies.
This latest version affirms the old adage that ‘you can’t go wrong with a good old song’ or epic poem for that matter, no matter how old the story.