I watched the Odyssey yesterday. Gotta say, I liked the movie.
Spoilers for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
I love how they (almost)immediately mentioned the laws of zeus, which I assume are xenia. I've seen and heard people complain about Telemachus not slaughtering the suitors himself, and it really bugs me.
I looove how a lot of Odysseus's journey is just a recounting. In the actual text, Odysseus tells his story to the king of another kingdom(of which I do not remember the names). I do believe that that king organizes transport to Ithaca for him, but take that with a grain of salt. As I was saying: I love the recounting, uh, medium of storytelling, especially with Calypso of all people.
I've seen some people say that Nolan's Odysseus isn't witty, and while I originally thought he IS, I've grown less attached to that idea. Polyphemus's design is so scary. Tall, thin, and his EYE. But: no dialogue including Polyphemus. How would Polyphemus know to call for his father about Odysseus? Where is Nobody? What's the fucking point if you don't do the exact thing that kept Odysseus from his home? Hubris!! Aghh reflecting on this movie a day later makes me so angry.
Anyways. The Sun God's cattle. I know some translations/adaptations imply or say Helios, but I just really enjoyed hearing "Apollo" in the moment. And I love how after Odysseus's crew slaughters the cow, Odysseus just accepts that they'll die. He tried to prevent it, but now there's no reason to, at least outwardly, show care.
I loved Calypso and Circe. The former appears to have to work to maintain her physical body, because she's shown collecting what I assume are fish with her PRACTICAL. CLOTHING. I love the characterization of her sooo much.
Circe is just Aghh so cool. I love how instead of the food turning the men into pigs, she does it herself. The greed of man truly was present. They couldn't stop. and it was sooo grotesque the way Circe was actively squishing their bodies into pigs.
I'm a queer transmasc, make no mistake. I love Lupita Nyong'o as Helen/Clytemnestra, and I love Elliot Page as Sinon. I love my mother 🫶 she took me to the movie because my biological father couldn't look past his prejudice to watch a fucking movie.
Anyways.
Another thing I don't really get* is the exile of the person that slaughtered the suitors, but I understand what was given as reasoning.
Make no mistake, I think it was an amazing movie. And I'm so incredibly happy that I learned more about the Odyssey because of EPIC: The Musical, because otherwise I wouldn't be having the same feelings about the movie.
My true form: Yapping about greek mythology to anyone who will listen
*get, as in understand. I don't comprehend how that happened, because the LAWS OF XENIA dictate that the man of the house can do whatever punishment he sees fit to the people that disrespect his house. But whatever. Nolan is just profiting off of his previous success.
