"The Odyssey" — Nolan's Bronze Age Epic Is Magnificent, but Cool at the Heart
Shot in IMAX 65mm, Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' offers a grand mythological journey starring Matt Damon and Zendaya — but according to Rolling Stone, its technical grandeur sometimes walks hand in hand with an emotional chill.
According to David Fear's review in Rolling Stone, Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is the most daring formal experiment the director has ever attempted: staging Homer's epic in IMAX 65mm, mostly in real locations and with minimal digital effects.
Matt Damon's Odysseus is father, husband, warrior, king, and a soul lost in the Bronze Age. With his beard and weary gaze, he carries the restlessness of a man who has seen too much. Zendaya (Penelope), Tom Holland (Telemachus), Anne Hathaway (Athena), Charlize Theron (Calypso), Lupita Nyong'o and Robert Pattinson round out the rest of the cast.
What does it get right? Nolan's camera compositions are epic: the long takes along Ithaca's shores, the dark interiors of the Cyclops' cave, the sound design in the sirens sequence. Ludwig Göransson's score has the familiar Nolan intensity but captures an ancient tone as well. Damon's performance is his most emotional work since Cooper in 'Interstellar.'
Where does it stumble? According to Fear, exactly where we've come to expect from Nolan's other films: intimacy between characters. The Penelope-Odysseus relationship, which should be the film's emotional backbone, stays cool and distant. Zendaya's performance is good, but the character gets little screen time. The Telemachus subplot suffers from the same problem.
Verdict. 'The Odyssey' is Nolan's most visually stunning film since 'Dunkirk'; a rare experience that demands to be seen in IMAX 65mm in a theater. But the longing for home that is Homer's true power sometimes gets lost in the shadow of the spectacle. It's a strong contender in the technical categories this awards season, but not the peak of Nolan's career.
Source: Rolling Stone — David Fear