Nathaniel

As I continue my own “Odyssey” through Nolan’s back catalogue I was a bit apprehensive about this one. I gave it 3* the last time I watched it and remember not loving it.  Well, this time I did. It was a great film and I think the things I thought were bad last time are the tuna that I really liked this time - the lack of dialogue, the non-linear story, the absence of a true protagonist. Each of these made the film seem realer and a truer encapsulation of war. The split timelines are great and are a smart way of highlighting the contribution of each to the evacuation. Had the story been told linearly then the RAF wouldn’t have arrived until the last hour and their contribution would have seemed less - this way it truly showed how vital they were. The lack of dialogue coupled with Hans Zimmer’s great score help show the intensity and futility of their situation and I loved that this time around.  And the absence of a true protagonist meant that everyone seemed dependable, heightening the stakes and, again, making it seem more real. Nolan is so good at creating a narrative that makes you care and I felt that so much throughout this, even without that emotional centre that you usually find with a protagonist.  Still not my favourite Nolan, but I did enjoy it a lot more than I expected to. Kenneth Branagh, Jack Lowden and Cillian Murphy the standout performances.  Where? - HBO Max

Really really good. The claustrophobia of the jury room was shown expertly and I really enjoyed it as a sort of microcosm of the outside world with all the prejudices, biases and opinions. The characters were all so distinct and Henry Fonda as the lead was great. I also just enjoyed it, which isn’t something I can usually say for films that are 70 years old - I think the simplicity of it helped with this, in that it didn’t have jarringly outdated action scenes or poorly executed filmography. The fact it is only 90 minutes but yet introduces these fully realised characters with believable backgrounds and motivations is a feat and the script is super tight and well written. Probably the best black and white film I’ve ever watched. Makes me want to watch more old films, which is just about the highest compliment I can give it. Where? - Amazon Prime

The epic to end all epics. The story to end all stories. An absolute masterpiece from the undisputed GOAT director. For me, this is pretty close to movie perfection - the action, the drama, the stakes, the tension, the score, the acting, the emotional impact.  There was hardly a wasted moment, no scenes dragged with every single one furthering the plot, adding tension or being an unreal action sequence. I often find action gratuitous, uninspiring and dull. Not in this film, the action was great.  The siege of Troy was amazing and the way it was framed throughout the movie; initially as an ingenious trick and latterly as Odysseus greatest regret was just perfect. Seeing the guys in the horse brought the reality of what that would have been like home.  So many great varying scenes. The scene with the cyclops was claustrophobic and really built a sense of danger; the cyclops screams were haunting. The sequence with the Laestrygonians would have been genuinely terrifying if it hadn’t dominated the adverts and posters. Even knowing it was coming, seeing them come out of the mist built such a sense of dread. And the scene in the hut with the pigs was really cool - the fact that was done practically rather than cgi is mind blowing. The hades scene was great too!  I didn’t care so much for the actual boat scenes. I’ve never found storms as an enemy particularly interesting but it being a sign of Zeus and Poseidon’s displeasure did give it a slight additional dimension. And then the conclusion. Odysseus coming home and learning from the mistakes of Agamemnon, making himself the lowest of the low to destroy his enemies. And then stringing that bow and threading it through those axes like it was nothing - goosebumps. And then the slaughtering of the suitors was *chefs kiss*  Having deliberately avoided the story, I was so sure it was going to end in tragedy with Melantho murdering Odysseus as he couldn’t bring himself tonkill her, seeing in her the innocents killed at Troy, but that never materialised and her character seemed to disappear. But it was nice for it to end happily, with Odysseus and Penelope sailing into the sunset and Telemachus the King of Ithaca.  It’s also a film that looks and sounds unreal. Ludwig Goranson’s score enhanced the film so much and the cinematography was stellar.  The acting. Ohhh, so good. Matt Damon was perfect as Odysseus and Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway were excellent as Telemachus and Penelope. Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyongo, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton and Zendaya were all great but the real star of the supporting cast was Robert Pattinson. I think in part this was because I’d just watched him be the affable, likeable Neil in Tenet and to then see him as the slimy Antinous just showed his range as an actor. He’s fast becoming one of my favourites. And Agamemnon’s aura was insane.  And Argos, the goodest boy who stayed alive through sheer willpower until his master came home and he could finally rest🥹 And the jump scares were fun - i jumped out of my skin 3 or 4 times.  I also loved the way it was told non-linearly, classic Nolan and enhanced the experience.  And a shout out to seeing it in IMAX - the screen was huge, the sound was colossal and it made me feel like I was one of the men following Odysseus.  And of course, FINDLATER CASTLE and SUNNYSIDE BEACH!! And quite prominent and distinctive too. That was fun.  Where? - Braehead IMAX  R rating - 10

Decided to rewatch this to re-love some Nolan before the Odyssey. Undisputed GOAT director for me. Overall I enjoyed this film and at a surface level it is understandable even though it can start to hurt your head if you think about it too much. From about the 1.5 hr mark to the end, this film is excellent. It just takes a lot of setup to get there. It’s worth it though, the setup can be a bit dragged out and expo dumpy and some of it is slow but the last hour or so more than makes up for it. I do think I enjoyed it better the first time not knowing fully what was coming. Robert Pattinson, as always, was great and so were most of the side characters - Aaron Taylor Johnson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh. I thought John David Washington as the main character was ok but not as good as most of the supporting cast. It will also always hold a special place in my heart as the first film I saw in a cinema post-Covid.  Even more hyped for The Odyssey now.  Where - Amazon Prime