During the early Sunday morning, there was nothing more I wanted than to return to my home. To my homeland lush with vegitation, springing with rivers and lakes. To my Lithuania, in the far edge of the North. To my parents, to my friends, to the world that I left, what seems to be, so long ago. But only a month has elapsed, yet my heart was filled with sorrow, such sadness and longing that I could not be where I wanted the most.

Yet I could not return, for I had so many things to do. So I set out on a an odyssey to see [Christopher Nolan]()'s newest epic called [The Odyssey](/reviews/why_christopher_nolan_and_why_the_odyssey___). I ventured to the movie theater, to see a film of divine proportion. Doing so would allow me to forget for a my home, so I could be for a moment at peace.

After all, [Poseidon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gods_in_The_Odyssey#Poseidon) has wrecked me on this tiny island filled with despair. It is a graveyard of the empire of yore. Walking past its hills and snaking roads all alone, to see the film, feels dangerous. When the sun is the only company, when the air is moist with sweat, who would in their right mind trek barefooted to anywhere?

When I set out my quest, I missed the first bus, so I walked under the scorching Sun. My sweat was so great, it sunk to the ground and from it sprang new rivers. When I finally got another bus-stop, I was met with an omen I cannot to this day forget.

![There is crime on every corner](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/QUE4N3IUXJKRAJJQ.png)

There was a door on the floor, with police tape hanging like some festive decoration. It seemed to me, the adventure which has just begun, was about to turn to hell. And from inside the building I felt this foul stench, as if it came from the mouth of [Polyphemus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphemus). 

The drive was long and exhaustive, but in the end I managed to get to the place. I bought the ticket an hour before the movie started and waited in boredom to be let in. Time passed slowly during that hot day. When the movie finally began, I was ready with my notebook.

![Got my notebook ready](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/FZ8A8ND3DVNBVYWM.png)
*Got my notebook ready*

A notebook, why would I need it? For you see, every warrior has his weapon, and so did I. Mine was pen and paper. I came to see a Christopher Nolan movie after all, so I knew, I had to jot down everything I saw. I already knew the crux of the plot, this is an adaptation of a book, after all. Already having the base work, I could focus on the words and fine plot-points. 

It felt refreshing to hear Ancient Greek instruments be used in the composition. The sound was marvelous, this is the work of [Ludwig Goransson](), what else would one expect? Yet the [music is still Western through-and-through](https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=yFn1JfOd3b0). From such a fact, it can be said, the movie is not historical recreation how Ancient Greeks told the myth. 

![Christopher Nolan in a Norse longship](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/6TGVAAGAOZLK14FI.png)
*Christopher Nolan in a Norse longship*

Principle photography took place in Scotland and they used Norse [longships](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longship). Mythologically accuracy is non-existent. As such, Nolan is not taking the [Openheimer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oppenheimer_(film)) route of being mostly true to life. This is an anachronistic retelling of Odyssey. Which is itself an an anachronistic mythological retelling of the events that occurred after [the sacking of Troy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy).

As it is, the movie is infused with Nolan realism. Everything is serious and grim. The contrast between mythological events and reality creates this clash. I have not seen Nolan's [The Dark Knight trilogy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_in_film#The_Dark_Knight_trilogy), so I cannot tell how much of this juxtaposition has existed before. Still, the contrast of what I saw on screen and how the movie portrayed such events, threw me off the loop.

I was pleased to see the recurring Nolan film actors, such as [Matt Damon]() playing the titular character of Ulysses, [Anne Hathaway]() as Odysseus wife and [Robert Pattinson]() as the sly suitor. The casting seemed about right, since I did not find any of the actors' personalities clashing with their roles. Truth be told, I'm not a picky when it comes to acting. Asking for my opinion in this matter is unlikely to yield any insight.

For all its good, I felt bummed with the fact my notebook was not overflowing with notes. I expected a Sir Christopher Edward Nolan film to have the plot be so convoluted that you need multiple rewatches to understand what in [Hades](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell) is going on. I was stunned from how easy it was to follow along the plot. Odyssey is already a nonlinear story, so there was no need to change it much. I expected Nolan at least to shake up the plot, to lean more into the memory problem. To piece together what occured from unreliable retelling of the same events. 

At the beginning of the movie we see Odysseus suffering from amnesia, because he kept eating [the Lotus leaves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus-eaters). We see him struggle remembering his family, who he is, how he got there. The entire movie is hinging on memory, of how the past is regarded, how one copes with trauma of war. Yet, it seems to me, Nolan did not go further than what was in the book.

![So how far North did Odysseus travel?](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/1RALN0KZM7KV7GBF.png)
*So how far North did Odysseus travel?*

There were the obvious Nolan-esque dialogues, with their psycho-philosophical depth. For all its worth, I felt let down. This journey to the magical world of Homer's Odyssey seemed like a bust. I had a great time, don't get me wrong. I laughed at the fact Odysseus was in a snowy pine forest. It did not seem like the hero was on a mountain of sorts, so why were there pine trees and snow? 

Yet still, the topic of the consequences of war is there, it is discussed. Why does it not seem like Christopher Nolan was holding back himself? I do applaud him for making an epic fantasy adventure film. A foray into any new genre is welcome. I appreciate that he had the chance to play around more with CGI. The lack of computer generated effects in Openheimer must have let him thirsting for something more properly blockbuster. 

Really, whatever be the reason behind this film, I appreciate Christopher Nolans effort to create it. I don't believe 'tis going to be remembered as fondly as rest of his works, but for what its worth, I recommend seeing once. Just don't bring a notebook with an expectation of some kind of hard to comprehend film. This is your epic Hollywood picture based upon a classic story. It just happened Nolan was the one behind the camera. 

*Fin.*