The Reelist

Tag: adventure

  • “The Odyssey” review

    “The Odyssey” review

    Any time Christopher Nolan releases a new film, it feels like an event. This is no different with his latest release, The Odyssey. To put it in perspective, tickets for IMAX screenings went on sale last summer, a year before release, and they sold out pretty quickly. With the insane amount of hype leading up, it begs the question, does The Odyssey live up to it? It most certainly does. 

    The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, Odyssey, which tells the story of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, and his ten-year journey home following the end of the Trojan War. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Odysseus is presumed dead after being away for twenty years, which leaves his wife, Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, to deal with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope’s hand in marriage.

    Matt Damon as Odysseus

    Since this is a direct adaptation of an existing work, the foundation of the story is already laid out, so it ultimately comes down to execution. This is where The Odyssey truly shines. The sheer size and scope of a film like this would intimidate almost any director, but Nolan doesn’t back down. Early on, Nolan made the decision to film The Odyssey using IMAX cameras entirely, which was unprecedented and had never been done before. Even though it was a huge financial and technical endeavor, his commitment to IMAX pays off here. The film looks and sounds amazing. And because of Nolan’s devotion to using more practical effects instead of CGI, there is a level of authenticity to the film that makes it even more impressive. The combination of epic scope, visuals, and sound creates a level of immersion that’s rarely seen. It almost felt like I was actually on the journey with Odysseus.

    The movie also takes us on a journey through different genres. It has plenty of action and adventure sequences, romance, and even some horror scenes sprinkled in here and there. The horror scenes are particularly effective and well done, especially the one involving pigs (if you know, you know). If Nolan ever decides to do a horror film, he’s shown that he’s more than capable of pulling it off. 

    There are a couple gripes I have with the film, but they’re closer to nitpicks than anything else. As typical in Christopher Nolan films, the dialogue can be hard to hear at times, even in quieter, less action-oriented scenes. Also, in terms of how the narrative is told, I would have preferred more linear storytelling instead of Nolan’s typical non-linear approach. The film often goes back and forth between different time periods instead of telling it in chronological order. The story isn’t hard to follow, so it’s not a huge deal, but I do think a more linear, streamlined approach would have been better, especially for more general audiences. 

    All in all, The Odyssey is a masterful example of what happens when you combine talent with a director that truly cares about their craft. It stands tall as one of the year’s best and one of Christopher Nolan’s finest achievements. And with a filmography as impressive as his, that’s really saying something.

    Rating: 4.5/5

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  • “Project Hail Mary” review

    “Project Hail Mary” review

    There are movies, and then there are experiences. Project Hail Mary, based on the 2021 novel of the same name, falls in the latter category. Directed by duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and starring Ryan Gosling, this is a film that aims to bring back that old school, hopeful sense of escapism. While not perfect, the film at the very least succeeds at that, and is sure to bring plenty of moviegoers back to the theater for an unforgettable adventure. 

    Project Hail Mary tells the story of a man named Ryland Grace who wakes up from a coma on a spacecraft. At first, he is unsure of where he’s at and how he got there, but the memories eventually start coming back. He’s a middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist who was recruited by the government to study a microorganism known as Astrophage, which is responsible for the Sun’s dimming. If not stopped, the Sun’s dimming will result in a catastrophic global cooling of the Earth within thirty years. Grace also learns that he is the sole survivor of a three-person crew on board, light years away from Earth. The mission, known as Project Hail Mary, is basically a suicide mission: there’s only enough fuel for a one-way trip to Tau Ceti, the only undimmed nearby star. The spacecraft carries probes to send the crew’s findings back to Earth. However, as Grace approaches Tau Ceti, he comes into contact with a rock-like alien whom he names “Rocky.” Not alone anymore, Grace and Rocky work together to save the solar system. 

    Rocky

    First things first, it is pretty obvious that this film was made with a ton of love and respect for the source material. Everything from the cinematography, editing, costumes and special effects is top notch. All of this combined really pulls the viewer into the world and provides a complete sense of escapism. And it does so with an honest, hopeful tone that harkens back to the old school days of sci-fi adventures such as E.T. Even though the film’s plot is bleak to an extent, I left the theater feeling hopeful and even interested in reading the novel. When a film is made with love, care, and respect for the craft, you can feel it. 

    The main star of the show is, of course, Ryan Gosling. I always thought Gosling was an underrated actor. His work lately, however, probably doesn’t qualify him as underrated anymore. He gives yet another solid performance here, which is important considering he’s practically in every scene. There aren’t many other characters in this film, so it demanded a solid lead performance, and Gosling delivered as usual. 

    Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace

    My only real complaint with the movie is that the pacing felt off at times. I think it slowed down too much at certain points, and towards the end it seemed like it didn’t know when to end. There were multiple times when I thought the film was coming to a conclusion, only for it to go on for longer. Maybe that’s how the book actually is, so perhaps this is due to the limitations faced when doing a book-to-film adaptation, as certain things don’t always translate well from page to screen. Even so, the filmmakers probably could’ve trimmed about 10-15 minutes off its 156-minute runtime, and it likely would’ve resulted in better pacing. 

    Ryan Gosling recently said something that stuck out to me. When visiting a screening of Project Hail Mary, he said to the audience “It’s not your job to keep theaters open. It’s our job to make things that make it worth you coming out.” I saw that quote before my screening of the film, and after watching it, it rings even more true. It isn’t a coincidence that Project Hail Mary is doing well both critically and financially. It’s because it’s made by people who cared enough to make it worth coming to see. At the end of the day, that’s all we can really ask for.

    Rating: 4/5