The Odyssey

okay, i’m going to be honest. I really loved the movie. i thought it was great overall, but i do have a few criticisms. i’m a huge fan of the odyssey. the first time i read it, i was completely captivated by its story and themes. while i’ve been starting to appreciate christopher nolan more as a director, i’m not completely sold on some of his creative choices. one thing i didn’t love was the use of modern language. i understand that’s become a trend, but this is greek mythology and i would have preferred dialogue that felt a little more authentic to the setting. my biggest criticism is how much of the original story was left out. i know every adaptation has to make changes, but the role of the gods was almost entirely removed (hated that).  in my opinion, that’s one of the most important parts of the odyssey. their influence explains why odysseus, out of all his men, is ultimately the only one allowed to live. there were also several smaller details i wish had been included, but i could go on forever so ill spare you the details.  now, onto what i loved. the movie did an excellent job exploring human nature and showing that people aren’t simply good or evil. odysseus is both heroic and deeply flawed and i honestly loved that complexity. i also really liked the themes of identity and self-discovery. one of my favorite parts of the story is odysseus’ choice to leave calypso. in the original myth, she offers him eternal youth and immortality, yet he chooses to return home. to me, that’s one of the story’s most powerful messages to me. it reminds us that what gives life meaning isn’t living forever, but our experiences, our relationships, and the choices we make. overall, i thought it was a really good movie. even though i wish it had stayed closer to the original story in some ways, it still captured many of the themes that have made the odyssey such a timeless masterpiece. i spent a lot of time writing this review i kinda wanna post on tiktok and larp.