A Reel Review: THE ODYSSEY

Much like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Homer’s ancient Greek poem THE ODYSSEY has long been thought to be impossible to bring to the big screen in all of its deserving epic-ness. An attempt in 1954 with Kirk Douglas fell short, and last year there was THE RETURN, which was well-received but only covered a sliver of the original text. THE LORD OF THE RINGS overcame the unfilmable by finding the right man for the job, and such is the case for Christopher Nolan and THE ODYSSEY. 

 

Years after the end of the great Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon), and his crew undergo a long and perilous journey home. Meanwhile, in his absence, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland), deal with dozens of potential suitors for Odysseus’ throne. 

 

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this version of THE ODYSSEY skillfully and thankfully avoids any cinematic cliches of there’s-no-place-like-home. Although the journey is long and dangerous, packed with encounters against gods, giants, undead, and monsters…the hook of the story is Odysseus, who isn’t even sure he wants to get home. This is a man with the shadow of the Trojan Horse and war looming over him, bringing guilt and trauma which weights heavy on his mind. It’s a powerful, and resonating look at one man’s actions during war. 

 

But where THE ODYSSEY really sails is in the telling. The bulk of the film unfolds in flashbacks; with Odysseus recounting his tale to the goddess Calypso, and Telemachus learning of his father’s actions during the war. It’s a story-within-a-story that Nolan has used before, but never before is such a grand, deep, and vast way. By the time all the storylines come together at the end, the true meaning of it all hits hard.

 

THE ODYSSEY delivers on the technical side in astounding fashion. Filmed in 70mm, the film looks gorgeous, and the practical effects are jaw-dropping. The tension during sequences such as the encounters with the monstrous Cyclops, the mysterious Sirens, and a grotesque transformation into pigs is shit-the-pants worthy. And be prepared to duck for cover during the fall of Troy. The score by Ludwig Goransson is excellent. 

 

Acting is god-like from the entire cast. Matt Damon puts in a career best, as does Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway just may take home her second Oscar. John Leguizamo nearly steals the show. The rest of the ensemble and most-impressive cast is excellent: Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, and Benny Safdie. 

 

Christopher Nolan has been criticized in the past for lacking emotion or heart in his films, and it’s been a legit gripe…but with THE ODYSSEY he makes up for it, with a third act that brings the weight of Odysseus’ journey and trauma down hard. THE ODYSSEY lives up to the original text’s scale. Nolan has used techniques here that will leave audiences wondering how it was done and scouring the internet for details for years. At long last, THE ODYSSEY has come home to the big screen properly; it just had to wait for the right man. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

 

A Reel 20: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - DEAD MAN'S CHEST

“Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?” 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST. 

 

Directed by Gore Verbinski, DEAD MAN’S CHEST was the sequel to THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003), and based on the popular Disney attraction. Set a year after the events of the first film, DEAD MAN’S CHEST follows Captain Jack Sparrow who owes a debt to Davy Jones and is marked for death and pursued by the Kraken, while Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan are blackmailed to acquire the mysterious Dead Man’s Chest. 

 

Two sequels were envisioned after the success of BLACK PEARL, with returning screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio developing a story arc that would span two films. Filming would take place in remote locations, including Palos Verdes, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and The Bahamas. It was shot back-to-back with the third film in the series. 

 

Returning to the role of the popular and iconic Captain Jack Sparrow would be Johnny Depp. Other returning actors included Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Kevin McNally, and Jonathan Pryce. Newcomers included Tom Hollander, Naomi Harris, and Stellan Skarsgard. Bill Nighy would provide motion-capture and the voice of Davy Jones. Hans Zimmer would compose the score. 

 

Upon release, DEAD MAN’S CHEST would be met with good-to-mixed reviews and be a box office smash. It would finish as the highest grossing film of 2006, and would set a record as the fastest film to cross $1 billion worldwide (63 days). It would be the highest grossing film released by Disney until it was surpassed by TOY STORY 3 in 2010. At the 79^th Academy Awards, it would be nominated for four Oscars, and win for Best Visual Effects. The next sequel, AT WORLD’S END, would arrive in 2007. 

 

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One of this Blogger’s strongest memories from the theatre came in the summer of 2006, when Jack Sparrow’s return to the big screen (by breaking out of a sea-bound coffin), was met with applause in a 600-seat theatre. That spoke to the popularity and cultural impact that the character was making. 

 

And the adventure in front of Jack and his companions and enemies would be up to the task. DEAD MAN’S CHEST is an exhilarating adventure that expands everything we loved about the first film, raising the stakes with spectacular action, stunning visual effects, and one of cinema’s greatest villains: Davy Jones. The motion-capture performance by Bill Nighy and his digitally created skin remains extraordinary. 

 

Sparrow of course is at his most unpredictable, balancing humor with desperation and make-it-up-as-we-go sailing as he tries to escape his curse. The thrilling three-way sword fight, terrifying Kraken, and the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK-type cliffhanger ending keeps viewers captivated and breathless. And the film still had one whale of a surprise to end with. Bold, ambitious, and endlessly entertaining, DEAD MAN’S CHEST remains one of the best blockbuster sequels ever to set sail. 

 

“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome…”

Sam Neill: 1947 - 2026

Actor Sam Neill has passed away at the age of 78. 

 

Born in Northern Ireland before moving to New Zealand with his family, Nigel John Dermot Neill’s first film was a New Zealand TV film THE CITY OF NO in 1971. He moved to Australia, appearing on more TV, and was the romantic lead in MY BRILLIANT CAREER (1979), with Judy Davis. 

 

In 1981, he had his first international role as Damien Thorn, son of the Devil rising in U.S. government in OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT. In 1982 he appeared in an adaption of IVANHOE, which is now traditionally aired in Sweden every New Year’s Day. In 1990, he had one of his most memorable roles, opposite Sean Connery in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER.

 

In 1993 he became a cultural and global icon when Steven Spielberg cast him in JURASSIC PARK. Neill, playing a reluctant paleontologist, would reprise the role in JURASSIC PARK III (2001), and JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION (2022). 

 

Over his five-decade career he would cross genres with ease, appearing in notable films such as the Oscar-winning THE PIANO (1993), MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN (1992), THE JUNGLE BOOK (1994), IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994), EVENT HORIZON (1997), THE HORSE WHISPERER (1998), BICENTENNIAL MAN (1999), WIMBELDON (2004), HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (2016), THOR: RAGNORAK (2017), and THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022). One of his final films will be GODZILLA X KONG: SUPERNOVA, set for release in 2027. 

 

During his career, he received nominations for three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, and British Academy Television Award. He was knighted in 1991. 

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Long-time Reel Speak readers know that THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER is one of this Blogger’s favorite films, and Sam Neill’s part as the second-in-command of the famed phantom Russian submarine was a big part of that. The loyal officer who had dreams of traveling through America, state-to-state, with no papers…provided the emotional hook of the film, and his character’s tragic end is a heartbreaker; right down to his perfectly delivered final words. 

 

But it all comes back to his iconic role as Dr. Alan Grant in JURASSIC PARK. It is through his eyes that we get our first good look at the re-invented dinosaurs, and his excellent acting serves as a gateway for the audience; providing awe and wonder that takes hold and never let’s go. Kids love dinosaurs, and Neill helped us all rediscover that love which has persisted to this day. So thank you Sam, for bringing the cinematic awe and wonder. 

 

A Reel Opinion: Don't Read Ahead

Next week, in what is shaping up to be the cinematic event of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY arrives in theatres. The film, which is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic, has sparked a mad rush to bookstores (physical or virtual), to brush-up on the material. This is a common, and somewhat annoying occurrence: the desire to do homework, or to know the story in advance before seeing the film. This Blogger’s advice: Don’t. 

 

For many, reading the book (or comic, or poem), first seems like an obvious choice. But watching the film first can create a more enjoyable, and most especially, surprising experience (hello, spoilers!). Movies are made to tell stories through visuals, performances, and music. Seeing those elements without already knowing the story allows us to feel excitement, suspense, and emotion with a clean slate. 

 

Reading the book first leads to inevitable comparisons. Readers become attached to specific descriptions and scenes, making it easy to focus on things the film had changed, instead of appreciating the film as its own creative work. Viewers can (and have), hijack their own cinematic experience by picking out what wasn’t in the book. 

 

Watching the movie first clears those expectations. It allows the film to stand on its own merits. And reading the book later allows us to explore the richer and more detailed world. The book then becomes an expansion of the story instead of a checklist of missing content. 

 

So don’t read ahead. Let the cinematic experience do what it does best.