Movie Review: THE ODYSSEY

They sure don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Harking back to the giant “Sword and Sandals” epics of the likes of Cecil B. DeMille in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Academy Award winning Director (for OPPENHEIMER) Christopher Nolan eschewed CGI to film most of the scenes in his adaptation of Homer’s epic poem THE ODYSSEY practically, turning this film into a visceral experience that one can feel.

And…boy…did he succeed.

Starring Matt Damon (GOOD WILL HUNTING) as Odysseus the king of Ithaca who is away from his home for 20 years - the first 10 fighting in the Trojan Wars and the next 10 trying to get home - this poem (and film) tells the tale of his adventures over this 20 year timespan.

Damon is a strong central core to this film that holds things together professionally and with a focus of attention and drive that is absolutely necessary to keep this film going. One will be able to overlook how good Damon is in this film for he makes the suffering and fortitude of Odysseus look like it comes naturally to him, giving the audience a strong “everyman with a solid moral fiber” to root for at the middle of all the events. He doesn’t really have the “Oscar speech moment” in this film, but it is not needed for he is strong throughout.

As are all the ladies in this film from Academy Award winners Anne Hathaway (LES MISERABLES) as his wife Penelope who is awaiting his return to Academy Award winner Charlize Theron (MONSTER) who plays Calypso the nymph who holds Odysseus captive on her island for 7 years to Academy Award winner Lupito Nyong’o (12 YEARS A SLAVE) as Helen of Troy to Mia Goth (FRANKENSTEIN) as a duplicitous slave. ALL are strong and bring the heft necessary to this epic.

Special notice needs to be made of the use of the ubiquitous actress Zendaya (let’s go with the TV Series EUPHORIA) who is used just the right amount as the goddess Athena. Any more of her in this movie would have been too much but any less of her would have been not enough. This is Nolan knowing exactly what he needs to do with this actress and this character.

But…the actress that turned my head the most in this film is Oscar Nominee Samantha Morton (SWEET AND LOWDOWN) who steals the film from Damon (and team) in the short segment where her witch character, Circe is front and center.

And…don’t forget about the guys! Jon Bernthal (THE PUNISHER), Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT), Himesh Patel (YESTERDAY) and Elliot Page (who appeared in Nolan’s INCEPTION as Ellen Page) are all strong and match Damon’s (or Hathaway’s) energy throughout the film.

Special notice for the men are the always good John Leguizamo (MOULIN ROUGE) as faithful, blind servant Eumaeus and, most surprising, Tom Holland (you know, the current SPIDER-MAN) who does career best work as Odysseus’ son Telemachus. It is the type of performance that should escalate Holland’s reputation in Hollywood (though as the current Spider-Man how much more can his reputation escalate).

But, make no mistake, this is a Nolan film, so the Cinematography (by frequent Nolan collaborator, Oscar winner - for (what else?) OPPENHEIMER)- is gorgeous and becomes another character in the film while the music by another frequent Nolan collaborator, Oscar winner Ludwig Goransson (SINNERS) helps drive the film forward without becoming overpowering.

With such a large canvas to paint on, one could forgive Nolan for trying to take a few shortcuts with CGI to give this film the scope and grandeur it deserves, but he did not for he did almost all of his big scenes practically. Whether it is puppetry (for the Cyclops scene), Make-Up effects (for the Witch transformation scene) and good ol’ fashioned movie-making for scenes such as the whirlpool (simply drove a bunch of jet skis around the boat until a whirlpool formed). All of this adds to the visceral nature of the film and grounds this fantastical tale.

A topnotch effort that one is going to see over and over again come Awards season…and I’m all there for it.

Letter Grade: the rare A+

10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)