A Long 'Odyssey' Is Still a Feast for the Senses

Christopher Nolan could’ve rested on his laurels after winning an Oscar for Oppenheimer, but instead he decided to adapt one of the most famous stories ever told. The fact that he (mostly) succeeds is a triumph in itself.

Nolan’s version of The Odyssey features all the trials familiar from high school English class, as Odysseus (Matt Damon) journeys home to Penelope (Anne Hathaway).

The action scenes and battles are where Nolan really shines. The Trojan Horse and Cyclops sequences, along with the epic final battle, justify the price of a large-format movie ticket. (The bathroom line out the door after the film showed I wasn’t the only one enthralled by the nerve-jangling intensity.)

It's not a perfect movie. For better or worse, Nolan is still better at directing big showpieces than writing compelling scenes or eliciting great performances. His Batman trilogy struck that balance best.

Hathaway, who was a highlight of The Dark Knight Rises as Catwoman, similarly gives the strongest performance here. She’s dedicated to Odysseus and calculating in her attempts to keep power in the face of sleazy suitors.

Among the supporting cast, John Leguizamo fares best as Eumaeus, a blind swineherd whose loyalty to Odysseus and Penelope never wavers. Elliot Page is also a highlight as the soldier Sinon.

At nearly three hours, Nolan’s epic risks overstaying its welcome. However, there’s more than enough spectacle to forgive any minor quibbles.