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An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

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Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#101

Post by fineIllregister »

With respect to Dr. Wilson, most of this reads like "A three hour movie didn't include every detail I've enjoyed during my lifetime of study." Every suggested addition just reminded me how bad I had to go to the restroom by the end of the film. It reads more like comic book fans complaining about film adaptations than a serious review.

Some of the criticism is just downright terrible. Knocking the film for not putting wheels on the Trojan Horse is just wrong, there's no other way to put it. There's no basis for the wheels in Homer, and the Trojans dragging the horse is one of the most visceral depictions of the story I've ever seen. It's something I've heard people talking about so it definitely resonated with people.

I had to stop reading at this point: "Defying the gods is noble and brave when Odysseus blinds Polyphemus, son of Poseidon". Just false. The exact same thing happens to them as in the source material. Polyphemus cries out to his father Poseiden, who punishes the crew. Odysseus's men literally say this.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#103

Post by ButlerianJihad »

fineIllregister wrote: post #101

With respect to Dr. Wilson, most of this reads like "A three hour movie didn't include every detail I've enjoyed during my lifetime of study." Every suggested addition just reminded me how bad I had to go to the restroom by the end of the film. It reads more like comic book fans complaining about film adaptations than a serious review. Some of the criticism is just downright terrible. Knocking the film for not puttin…

> Defying the gods is noble and brave when Odysseus blinds Polyphemus

Here is my reading: when the action unfolds it is indeed depicted as noble, where Odysseus saves his men, and brave, where the men take on a fearsome but incoherent giant being. By the time they make it to their ship, though, the realization dawns on them and that's when we all know it was neither noble nor brave. And, the men are all doomed from the start, according to prophecy.

The action/adventure film depicted brave and noble actions. The mortal humans on Earth were saving life and limb of their own kind, for their wives and children.

Context matters.

The spiritual reality was far different. The unseen truths were pre-existing; the truths were partly known to them already; and the spiritual reality was revealed later on, but their darkened intellect and concupiscence caused them to act as warriors and in solidarity and brotherhood, rather than following the Divine Plan.

Hindsight is 20/20.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#104

Post by fineIllregister »

ks2048 wrote: post #78

> This muddled subplot is foisted on the film in order to make Nolan’s relentlessly didactic point about the contemporary Anglophone world: that the lies and xenophobia of the war on terror and Brexit began a cultural decline that is now destroying the values ‘we’ hold most dear. After just seeing the film, I've got say, "Nolan trying to make a point about Brexit" did not cross my mind. I guess she is relating the "b…

> Nolan didn't want to add "cruelty to animals"

In one scene, Odysseus doesn't even blink as a puppy is thrown off a cliff.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#105

Post by dumberquestions »

oliculipolicula wrote: post #73
izacus wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Were Odysseus played as written, modern audiences would have a very hard time empathizing with him. That's the real challenge to successfully adapting the Odyssey. When reading the original, you have abundant time to get into the mental space of the bronze age Achaeans. In a three hour movie that's a lot harder to do. And this is the strongest criticism of this movie - Nolan took the easy way out of just shoving th…

> three hour movie > transporting us into the world of different values and beliefs I regret to inform you that Mel Gibson has been a better director https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypto Might have been (more) loyal to the original had Nolan dubbed it into Greek or went with Victorian dialogue? Note: Emily Wilson (TFA) wrote the "modern prose" cover that Nolan adapted. Maybe she's feeling responsible.. Apocalypto…

A lot easier actually, writing a plot from scratch is very different from adapting an existing one.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#106

Post by fineIllregister »

ButlerianJihad wrote: post #103
fineIllregister wrote: post #101

With respect to Dr. Wilson, most of this reads like "A three hour movie didn't include every detail I've enjoyed during my lifetime of study." Every suggested addition just reminded me how bad I had to go to the restroom by the end of the film. It reads more like comic book fans complaining about film adaptations than a serious review. Some of the criticism is just downright terrible. Knocking the film for not puttin…

> Defying the gods is noble and brave when Odysseus blinds Polyphemus Here is my reading: when the action unfolds it is indeed depicted as noble, where Odysseus saves his men, and brave, where the men take on a fearsome but incoherent giant being. By the time they make it to their ship, though, the realization dawns on them and that's when we all know it was neither noble nor brave. And, the men are all doomed from t…

It's not depicted as brave or noble in the film. They are quietly sneaking around, whispering and miming to each other. Once injured, Polyphemus immediately speaks, leading the crew to realize this was wrong.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#107

Post by nchmy »

apeescape wrote: post #53

I agree the movie was underwhelming: the characters were underdeveloped and dialogue clunky. It didn't evoke many emotions, and is trying to do too much, which makes the plot bounce all over the place. I get that it's probably hard to put your own spin into a well-established epic like The Odyssey, but this version wasn't too memorable to me. I liked the film better toward the end, but probably won't rewatch it in a…

This matches my experience/takeaway as well. I didn't feel or think anything during, let alone after, the movie.

And same for the recent Dune movies - (even more) gorgeous, well made and blah.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#108

Post by nchmy »

thinkingemote wrote: post #83

"The Odyssey is The Hero's Journey without a hero" - a quote about this adaptation referencing Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. I'm wondering if today films (the main form of story telling) also do not quite follow the apparently universal and archetypical story structure outlined by Campbell. Maybe these story structures are not actually universal across all cultures or maybe it's a sign of the culture tha…

As a tremendous admirer of Campbell and his work, I had the exact same thought about this movie.

I haven't read the original, but I have to figure it has vastly more substance given how famous it is.

The real hero's journey is not external, but internal - that's what allows us to connect with them so deeply. I didn't really get any sense of internal strife, reflection, sacrifice or growth.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#109

Post by Avicebron »

2Pacalypse- wrote: post #69
izacus wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Were Odysseus played as written, modern audiences would have a very hard time empathizing with him. That's the real challenge to successfully adapting the Odyssey. When reading the original, you have abundant time to get into the mental space of the bronze age Achaeans. In a three hour movie that's a lot harder to do. And this is the strongest criticism of this movie - Nolan took the easy way out of just shoving th…

> Looks pretty though. Does it though? Somehow Nolan made the mediterranean climate and Aegean sea look like washed out coast of Scotland or something. What's with the Hollywood's attack on color lately?

They've been dune-ified.

Re: An Uncomplicated Man – A review of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan

#110

Post by nchmy »

jbstack wrote: post #23
denkmoon wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the audio engineering bad in this one like all his others?

Yes. It's often hard to hear the dialogue.

Glad it wasn't just me/the theatre I went to... Somewhat fortunately there were Spanish subtitles (I'm in central America), so I read those at times

(side note, I can't fathom how anyone can watch any dubbed movie. Subtitles or don't bother)

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