Anne Hathaway is Stupendous in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan is known for wide, sweeping epic storytelling. That type of cinematic narrative has earned him praise among his colleagues, casts and critics alike. And now, he has leaped into Greek mythology with both feet sharing one of the most beloved literary tales of all time Homer’s “The Odyssey,” which follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) on a grueling journey home after the Trojan War. Facing monsters and angry gods at sea, he must also stop an unruly mob of suitors from taking over his kingdom and marrying his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway)

Of course, a film of this nature is not without its controversy. There has been online chatter lamenting over Nolan’s choice to have a diverse cast. The reality is, like many other literary pieces adapted into cinema or for a television based series, it is indeed fiction the majority of the time. While “The Odyssey” features fantastical monsters and gods, it is deeply rooted in the actual history, geography, and the seafaring culture of ancient Greece. And, as we all know, there have been Black and Brown people who existed and thrived amongst this history globally. So, it should surprise at this point, when we see stories told from that vantage point.

Having said that, in this iteration, Odysseus has been missing for 20 years and is presumed dead. Penelope, and their son, Telemachus (Tom. Holland) are under siege by a large group of arrogant suitors who have overrun the palace. They consume the family’s wealth and demand Penelope choose a new husband. Using his wits and the help of the goddess Athena (Zendaya), an exhausted Odysseus finally makes it back, disguised as an old beggar, infiltrates his own home, wins a contest stringing his old bow, and slaughters the suitors to reclaim his kingdom and his family.

This all star cast is firing on all cylinders. Some with smaller roles and other very omnipresent throughout. Anne Hathaway, in those tight close ups, is nothing short of remarkable reminding audiences that she is a previous Oscar winner and a sure contender when awards season rolls around in 2027. Hathaway weaves and bobs emotions like a heavyweight champ emerging victorious with every jab. John Leguizamo (Eumaeus) and Samantha Morton (Circe) are luminescent lurking with danger on every level making their performances delicious to behold. Morton is unapologetically diabolical and her performance is one of many highlights. Robert Pattinson’s Antinous and Elliott Page’s Sinon are equally powerful and engaging.

Pacing is painfully slow during the first act with Helen of Troy (Lupita Nyong’o), Jon Bernthal (Menelaus), Zendaya (Athena) and Tom Holland feeling like cameos instead of fully fledged leads in a major motion picture. That being the case, it doesn’t diminish any of their contributions or their ability to command a strong presence when they do appear. The nearly three hour running time feels unnecessary, but when that final act kicks in, Nolan goes balls to the wall allowing Holland and Damon to really shine.

The “Hades” scene with Gods emerging from the earth is compelling as are the cinematic use of shadows to illustrate darkness, sand to display the opposite and music that escalates into full blown African battle drums are a surefire hit aesthetically. One of my favorite lines in the film spoken in this scene, “…the closest view of man is from below,” speaks volumes with very little fanfare.

What was most intriguing to me were the many parallels between the biblical, seemingly similar journeys of Christ and Odysseus. Odysseus discovers the hard way that looking for God in men will most certainly end with disappointment and very much like Christ, he finds himself on a journey of distinguishing the differences between selfishness vs sacrifice for himself and those navigating in and around his world.

The Odyssey will bring up a lot of things for a lot of people, but at its core it’s really a father and son story – much like the story between God and Jesus Christ. One sacrifices himself for the other to survive and thrive despite the cost and loss he will surely endure. Masterpiece is word often thrown around these days regarding various pieces of cinema upon release. This is one time where that title is truly earned and deserved.