The Odyssey: A Disappointment Despite Its Ambition

I can't say I loved it. The Circe scene was excellent. The Cyclops sequence worked. The battles in Troy were well done. Most of the roles were miscast, though. Matt Damon is too "Good Will Hunting" to play Odysseus. The character never cohered. (Compare Ralph Fiennes in the superior The Return.) Zendaya's role felt superfluous. Calypso was the worst – she reminded me of the kind of chick you might meet at a Tupperware party in the Hamptons. At least half the dialogue was lame and contrary to the spirit of the Mycenaean world. Some of the sea and boat footage was good. The changes made to the ending I strongly disliked.

There is enough energy, effort, and money in the thing to make it eminently watchable on the big screen. If this were a new director, you would think he had great promise. Relative to both the reviews and where most expectations were placed, this has to count as a disappointment.