Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey trailer creates a dramatic proposition that "not even the gods will stop me from returning home". Homer's aged epic narrative, "The Odyssey" sharing more than 2800 years of existence, chronicles the emotional and epic voyage of Odysseus from his war in Troy to his eventual return home as King of Ithaca. Having previously transcended the limits of cinema, the way that Nolan brings the story of Odysseus to life will be on the largest scale and with the greatest impact imaginable. Major aspects of the story will show the hardship (physical and emotional) and incredible efforts of Odysseus survived from his return from war and the lengths Odysseus will go to return home and protect his family.

Storyline

Odysseus endured years of fighting in Troy, followed by a treacherous return that took him another 10 years to traverse back to Ithaca after war. The addition of mythical creatures (such as Polyphemus the Cyclops), severe weather patterns at sea, and obstacles of the gods would ultimately become extreme tests along the journey that would suffer through to get home. The journey home is also expected to include extreme emotional disconnection from his family (his wife Penny and son Telemachus), physical fatigue, and fear of possibly losing them forever because of the eventual destruction of his kingdom while he is away from it.

Positive Points

The teaser shows amazing scale and visual storytelling; it uses real life locations with wide open ocean and rugged terrain, which would give authenticity that is not present in most modern films. The cinematography is awe inspiring with incredible imagery which captures aspects of beauty and brutality on Odysseus’ journey. Matt Damon appears authentic as someone who has taken on such a physically and emotionally challenging role. The supporting cast featuring Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland adds great appeal as well. The use of IMAX camera creates an immersive experience. Additionally, since the filmmakers used practical effects shows how committed they are to making the film as real as possible considering the overwhelming use of CGI in films today.

Negative Points

While the teaser has incredible visuals – none of which give insight into deeper emotional arcs or character development. Thus for some people not familiar with Greek mythology, it could make for a very complex story. Furthermore, if too much emphasis is placed on big scale (the spectacle) then it could take away from more intimate storytelling when watching the final product.

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Overall: The Odyssey teaser is an incredibly ambitious and visually stunning project which has the potential to redefine the concept of EPIC storytelling. With Nolan’s previous work and such strong original material – there will no doubt be extremely high expectations for the final product. If they can find a way to balance spectacle versus emotional content within the story the film should create one of the most unforgettable experiences in cinema history.