Is Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey the best movie of the year? Yeah, probably. It probably is. And you know what? You guys probably aren’t surprised to hear me say that. Now, I am so excited to talk about this movie and really dive into my review now that I can, now that embargo is up and I can do more than just say social reaction because there’s so much about this movie that I loved. Now, I went in with bananas high expectations, okay? Insanely high expectations because not only is this Christopher Nolan, who’s a genius. We all know he’s a genius. He’s a genius, okay? Uh it’s also an amazing story.
I love this story. I love Greek mythology. I’m Greek for those of you don’t know. My maiden name is Alexopoulos. So, very was very excited. Then, on top of that, this cast list, you guys, the amount of insanely talented actors that are in this movie is bananas. This list is miles long and every single person, to no one’s surprise, brought their A-game and really, truly, truly delivered. So, I mean, let’s talk about Matt Damon first. Like, he’s so good. He’s obviously the lead of this I say lead loosely because, I mean, everyone in this movie I And Hathaway, I would say, is like his co-lead.
The two of them, phenomenal. But anyway, Matt Damon is so, so, so good. Like, he takes us on this journey and the the one thing I really love about this so much is added to the story that we know. This really is him dealing with the consequences, right? Odysseus is dealing with the consequences of his actions. He is dealing with the memory of what happened in Tro- at Troy, inside those walls, okay? That he tricked his way in and then took advantage of them and then what came from there. So, that’s so much of of what I loved about this, but just his performance is so nuanced. It’s so incredible. Every time we check in with him, it’s like, ah, he just adds a layer to his performance and it’s it’s truly a a master class in acting. And I will say I know a lot of people are saying this is like a master class in film making and rightfully so. I mean, it’s Christopher Nolan. The man knows what he’s doing and yet somehow he continues to top himself. Like this very well might be Christopher Nolan’s best work and like not even close, which is crazy to say when you look at the list of movies he’s made. Then we have Anne Hathaway who like as a as a mother and a wife like oh my god, her performance just tore at my heartstrings. I felt for her.
There’s certain monologues that she has especially in talking with Tom Holland that I just like wanted to reach out and hug her and be like, “Girl, I’m here for you, you know?” Like there’s so much that she goes through and you really think of the stuff that Penelope went through. Like she literally was the queen in without a king for years and years and years and years and years and then they’re like, “Do you need a king?” Like she’s been running that whole place. Anyway. Anyways, it’s a lot.
Plus she’s dealing with the loss of her of her husband. She’s had to raise her son basically herself. There’s a lot happening, right? And she’s so good in this and there’s so many moments where her just her face. There’s quiet moments with her and then there’s some truly incredible moments like I said especially between her and Tom Holland. Tom Holland, my god. We know he’s good, right? He has proven time and time again that he is a great actor, but man, he is such a good actor. And well, I’m so happy for him and Zendaya.
And I’m so happy they’re married and I’m so happy that, you know, they’ve said when they have kids, they’re taking a step back and I get it. But boy, oh boy, we are going to miss him when he is gone because and I’m sure he’ll come back and do more acting once his kids are older. I’m just projecting all this on to to him. Sorry to stress you out, Tom, but we need going to need you back because he’s so good. He’s so good. And there’s some moments between him and Matt Damon, but especially between him and Anne Hathaway that really got me. And again, maybe it’s the mom in me. Anything with a story with a mom and a kid is always going to just kill me.
Um who else? John Lithgow, great, phenomenal, incredible. I’m not going to be able to list everybody, but I will say Robert Pattinson, okay? That man every single time I see him, he tops his own work. How? How does every time I see him, he’s better than the last performance that he absolutely nailed? Like he’s so good in this. He’s so incredible. Um if you don’t know the story, which you probably do or at least know different iterations of the story, I don’t want to give too much away, but he’s so good at like playing a terrible person. He’s so good at playing a coward. He’s so good. Some of these moments, especially towards the end, I was like, “Oh my god.” Like the close-ups on his face, I was just like, “He’s so good. He’s so GOOD IN THIS.
ROBERT PATTINSON, YOU’RE SO GOOD IN THIS.” Oh my god. Um but I will say the one I was This is going to sound mean. I don’t want it to sound mean. I’m not I wouldn’t say the most surprised by, but one of the standouts for me that I didn’t expect to be a standout, that’s what I’ll say. Know he’s a great actor, wasn’t expecting to stand out, is John Leguizamo. Like that’s a lot of like There’s a lot of heart-wrenching stuff. Now, he’s a great actor, don’t get me wrong. And and I know he’s done a lot of stuff. But to me, in my head, he’s like a comedy guy, right? He just makes me laugh all the time. And so to see him in this performance, it just tore me apart. There’s certain moments that really, really got me. There’s one scene that I was like crying that he’s a part of. Um and then a scene following up a part that he’s a part of. He’s not really a part of it, but it’s towards the end.
Man, it got me. It really, really got me. And I don’t want to give anything away cuz the story is there, but you’ll probably know when you see it. Um Matt Damon is involved. It’s mostly Matt Damon and then a little bit of Tom Holland and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Oh my god. Okay. Charlize Theron, incredible. She’s so good as Calypso. Like she’s great. She she in those moments where she’s really it’s just her and Matt Damon, of course. Um, if you know the story, it makes sense. It’s just the two of them. Whenever she’s on screen, it’s only the two of them. But those moments are so great.
You talk again again more like emotional stuff. You know, like this is just such a good story and I think actually I think what really helps it because this is 3 hours long. It doesn’t feel 3 hours long and I think that’s because of the brilliant way that they did the storytelling. This goes to the script and Chris Nolan wrote this script and he did an incredible job. Um, it is it’s split up. Like you’re not going from beginning to end, right? It’s not like, “Okay, here’s Odysseus leaving. Here’s Troy. Here’s this.
Here’s that. Here’s this adventure, that adventure, this adventure, that adventure. Here’s the end.” It’s not. Like it is like you hear it, you know, like um, for example, Tom Holland like hearing a story about his dad, right? And so then it flashes back and you see the story. Like Jon Bernthal’s telling the story and then you get to see uh, what happened in that moment, right? And and that’s what I like about it and it keeps it fresh and exciting and it keeps changing things up, right? It’s it’s going back and forth. You’re not just I think if it was all the way through, it would have been a little more tedious maybe.
Um, again, for a really long movie. Lots of great action though. I mean, of course there’s all the mythology stuff. Again, I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s all the different islands that they visit um, on the way home and they’re all done so well. They’re so good. Uh, one thing I will just tease is the Cyclops. It again, you probably know the story, so you probably know this and it’s not really a spoiler.
I would just say the Cyclops is absolutely terrifying. The design is insane. Like nothing you’ve seen before. I I my jaw dropped. I was scared. I was scared at times. And it was so well done. It’s so well done.
Cersei,you guys, that’s like got some horror elements to it as well. Like so cuz there’s a psychos, but then there’s what she does, which again, I don’t want to I don’t want to give anything away if you don’t actually know the story. But the way the molding and shaping is done is all I will say is is brilliant. Again, I keep using that word brilliant. Brilliant, genius, phenomenal, incredible. Like these are all words I could use to describe this this movie. Masterpiece. The score. I haven’t even mentioned the score. The score is so freaking good. And and you talk about something that takes you on this a journey for so long. And it’s so well done. Every single aspect of it. Like the quieter moments, but then the big action set pieces. It’s so good.
I know there’s other people I’m missing. Himesh Patel, uh so great. I mean, everyone in this is so good. There’s not a person, no matter how small their role is, that like phoned it in. I mean, it’s Christopher Nolan. No one’s like, “Man, I’m in this Christopher Nolan movie. I’m just going to phone it in.” But it’s so brilliant. And it’s so good. I was glued to the screen for the entire 3 hours. It was wrapping up and I was like, “Oh my god, this is towards the end of the movie.” There’s multiple times I cried.
Multiple times. Um chills. Actual real chills. Like just staring at the screen like, “Am I witnessing this right now?” Like it is a massive epic. I know it’s an epic. It’s literally literally an epic. It’s literally um it’s just so well done. I know there’s other people I’m forgetting and I apologize. The list is bananas long. But and this is getting to be very long review. I could just gush about this movie forever. I saw it in IMAX 70 mm. See this movie in IMAX 70 mm if you can. I know there’s not a lot of 70 mm around the country or around the world even. If you can’t If not, see it in IMAX. It’s massive.
This is made to be seen on a massive screen. It is a massive movie. This is the movie people are going to be talking about for years, for decades, heck, probably for centuries. I mean, this is something truly special. Like I said, it’s probably the best movie of the year. I can’t say. It’s only July. I almost said August. It’s not August.
It’s July. But, it’s I would say right now, I would say it’s Christopher Nolan’s best film. And again, you’re talking We’re also putting it up against The Prestige and Interstellar and all the Batmans. I mean, and on and on and on and on and on I could go on and on again. This is This is I’m This too long. It’s already over 10 minutes. I will just tell you guys, I loved this movie. I loved everything about this movie. I think everyone in this movie brought their A game. It was amazing.
And I’m talking even from like the crew and like the production design and the costumes and the hair and the makeup and the everything about this movie is perfect. I have literally no notes. Um it’s 3 hours long and I was like, I would sit and watch it again. I would have sat and watched it back-to-back twice. And it’s a 3-hour long movie. I mean, I’d like a a quick pee break in between, but then I would go and watch it again. It’s so good.
It’s incredible. It flies by. It’s just I was completely immersed and I just cannot wait to experience it again. I can’t wait for you all to experience it. If by the time you got to this review, you have already seen Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey, let me know what you think. Where do you think it ranks amongst his movies? Do you agree with me that it’s his best movie? You might not. Um but do you? I love the story. I love the groundedness of it. I love how he’s really made it about humanity and the and the consequences of our actions and like think about what this does, what what you the things you do means for other people.
Um Zendaya, I might have mentioned, I don’t think I did. She’s great. She’s not really in it a lot, but man, when she’s on screen, oh, she’s so good. She’s so good. She can do so much just with her face, just with the look of her face. That’s another one we’re going to miss her when I’m so happy for them to go be parents, but I’m also so happy for them to come back to acting after. I’m not trying to rush your lives, but we’re going to miss y’all. All right. Matt Damon, so good.
