Nolan’s realistic approach grounds epic Odyssey
If nothing else, Christopher Nolan must be commended for his ambition in adapting Homer’s The Odyssey. No half measures are taken in this $250 million production and if the filmmaker’s reach exceeds his grasp, it certainly isn’t for lack of imagination or effort. By its very nature, this unwieldy, sprawling tale presents a myriad of challenges, most of them met, a few fumbled, particularly in the early going. However, the sheer scope of the movie is impressive, a go-for-the-fences swing that’s rarely attempted today, an epic not overwhelmed by digital effects, as matters of the heart and character take center stage instead.
During its first act, the story has a scattered feel to it, yet it stands to reason what with the many narrative wheels already in motion. In getting the audience up to speed, we learn that Odysseus (Matt Damon), the ruler of Ithaca, has been absent for 20 years. Having gone to fight in the Trojan War, he’s failed to return some 10 years after the conflict ended. His son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), whom he’s never met, longs for some news of his father’s fate, as does his mother, Penelope (Anne Hathaway). They are under siege in their own home as a horde of potential suitors, Antinous (Robert Pattinson) being the most prominent, have taken up residence, depleting the household of food and resources.
We learn of Odysseus’ exploits and whereabouts through a variety of sources. Having set out to get information about his father, Telemachus is told by the ruler Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) of the warrior’s exploits during the siege of Troy, while his most loyal subject, Eumaeus (a great John Leguizamo), relates tales regarding his youth.
However, the bulk of his story is told by Odysseus himself, as his lover, Calypso (Charlize Theron), has taken pity on him and is weaning him off a steady diet of lotus flowers. As his memory returns, he tells her his tale and through flashbacks we see the fall of Troy, as well as the many delays he and his men contend with on their return to Ithaca. Their encounters with the cyclops, Polyphemus (Bill Irwin) and the witch Circe (Samantha Morton), as well as their journey to Hades, are among the familiar incidents related.
Initially, the flashbacks from various characters prevent the film from finding its rhythm. However, once Odysseus becomes the teller of his story, events begin to flow more naturally and the film finds its footing, smoothly moving from one seminal moment to the next.
What’s most surprising and welcome is Nolan never forgets the human element of the story. To be sure, the visuals are spectacular throughout, the vistas of Morocco, the landscapes of Greece and the woodlands of Scotland arresting and powerful in their own right.
Equally impressive is the way in which he integrates the special effects into this fantastic tale. The monsters Odysseus and his men are rendered in such a way you never think of them as being artificial or rendered by a computer. The aesthetic of realism Nolan creates makes the film all the more engaging and at times, terrifying. As much a horror film as an adventure story at times, a sequence in which Circe turns a group of soldiers into pigs is a full-on body horror moment, while their journey to Hades, in which Odysseus is confronted by the spirits of men whose death he’s caused, is one of the most horrific and moving scenes I’ve ever seen.
But he never lets us forget the suffering the characters are going through, the physical as well as emotional turmoil being wrought on Odysseus, his family and his men. It’s made plain that at its core, the Trojan War is about Agamemnon’s political and economic ambitions as much as it is about rescuing Helen (Lupita Nyong’o) and assuaging his damaged ego. The harm done to the warriors in his armies is just collateral damage to him, Nolan stressing the damage done to innocents due to the hubris of an arrogant leader. Who says the classics have nothing to say about our modern world?
While Odysseus’ physical journey home is the driving force of the narrative, witnessing his transformation from a fierce, loyal warrior to the shattered, guilty man he becomes provides it with heart. Smart yet foolhardy, arrogant but finally humbled, angry and ultimately at peace, the changes he endures makes this legendary hero all too human, emotionally grounding the epic in a way that makes it relatable and accessible.
Granted, some modern colloquialisms in the script are jarring, the role of Athena (Zendaya) is severely altered, the final act is hobbled by prolonged, incomprehensible action scenes, and there are stretches where you could get up, stretch your legs and not miss much. Still, this grand, overwhelming production is a reminder of why we go to the movies. At times, The Odyssey is visually all-consuming, Nolan filling his vast canvas with one spectacular, eye-popping panorama after another. However, the tragedy of Odysseus and his ultimate redemption is what makes it worthwhile. As it has been since the tale was first told, Nolan reminds us that his hero’s journey to understanding remains ours, the story once again revealing its timeless nature. In theaters.
Sharp Invite tackles domestic discord
There’s no telling how many unspoken insults or criticisms exist between Joe and Angel. Granted, there are times when they may mutter them to themselves and after a long day, a harsh observation might be blurted out. But by and large, the disappointments they have about each another are left unsaid. Neither wants to deal with the fallout such revelations would precipitate, neither has the energy to hash their troubles out and neither wants to deal with what their grievances actually say about themselves.
Such is the set up for Olivia Wilde’s pointed and poignant The Invite, a remake of the Spanish film Sentimental. Sharply written, brilliantly acted and constantly surprising, the film is a captivating collection of manic comic moments and biting, dramatic revelations that result in a stark, moving portrait of modern relationships. Attacking the adaptation penned by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, Wilde displays the same skill and confidence she employed in her underrated Don’t Worry Darling. However, this time out, she displays a firm hand in fostering a barbed sense of humor as well as genuine drama with material that requires a deft touch.
Joe (Seth Rogan) is far from happy. Out of shape and stuck in a job he hates, what he wants most of the time is to be left alone. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen on the evening in which the film opens as his wife, Angel (Wilde), has invited the upstairs neighbors for dinner. Bad enough company is coming but that it’s Hawk and Pina (Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz) only make matters worse. Their sexual activity has become particularly raucous as of late, so much so that Joe and Angel can hear them.
It becomes obvious that they are both preoccupied with all that goes on in the apartment above, though resentment is at the core of what drives them both. Whereas Joe wants to confront them and ask that they tone things down, Angel is curious as to just what goes on between them. Thankfully, Hawk and Pina are more than eager to share details about their love life, so much so that by the end of the evening they’ve invited their hosts to participate in an intimate group activity with them.
However, before this happens a great many truths are revealed, putting a new light on Hawk and Pina’s intentions and Joe and Angel’s discord. While there is a manic quality at times in the storytelling and acting, Wilde never lets things spin out of control, her pacing perfectly attuned to the script’s roller coaster nature. Comic moments lead to dramatic ones again and again, none of them seeming disingenuous or calculated.
This isn’t the first rodeo for any of the four principals and each bring their A-game to their respective characters. Each are required to convey a variety of emotions and their collective sincerity provides the story with the emotional truth necessary for its success. As expected, each shine when it’s their turn in the spotlight, Cruz’s intelligence and sexuality used to proper effect, while Wilde brings a sense of humor she should employ more often. If there any surprises, it’s that Norton conveys a degree of vulnerability that’s rare among his characterizations while Rogan impresses by displaying the dramatic chops necessary to keep on even footing with his co-stars.
No magic solutions are provided for what ails Joe and Angel. Their problems are all too common and often good unaddressed. However, there is a pearl of wisdom regarding the ability, if enough love and respect remain, to start over. While The Invite doesn’t sugarcoat the problems it addresses, neither does it take a Pollyanna-like approach in the solutions it suggests. Though much of its humor may be based on pain, the hope it offers is conveyed with a sincerity that’s impactful. In theaters.
