The Odyssey

From hubris and the apathy of fate to the otiosity of war, The Odyssey explores a variety of themes in the latest technical marvel from Oscar winning director Christopher Nolan. The idea that stood out most to me however, is one that I felt was a very needed commentary on the state of modern society, that being the danger in letting go of our collective humanity as a society. Throughout the film, there is a light but palpable tension slowly building as the Kingdom of Ithaca awaits the return of their king in order to prepare for the seemingly inevitable arrival of the ‘people from the sea’ who defy Zeus’s law. The gradual reveal of Odysseus’s crew having been the aforementioned barbarians the whole time was incredibly done. And when the film reaches it’s crescendo for me was the very end of the reveal in question where we see the overhead shot of the Greek soldiers illuminated by fire moving through the streets of Troy as if they were a poison making their way to the heart of civilization itself. The image of past Odysseus’s face illuminated by the fire that set him on his journey contrasted with his present face being illuminated by the inviting warmth of the sun was such a beautiful final scene that did to an extent provide some hope for the future while remaining as a warning for what is soon to come. While I do think the audio was muffled at times and some of the writing was uninspiring, Nolan’s latest work perfectly executed it’s primary purpose in providing a warning for those who are beginning to close themselves off towards their fellow man.