Great piece Wil. I think we agree on a lot of things here. I found that ending to be the best part of the movie, especially in the way it draws focus to these characters' reunion. And the movie as a whole completely rests on the excellent performances of Fiennes and Binoche and Molina.
There are some great shots, too, like the match cut of the sea and the red threads of the loom, and the blood mixing on the soil. Odysseus fanning his bow over the flames to make it pliable. His kneeling down and eating the earth. It's a gorgeous looking movie.
We also didn't like a lot of the same things. I couldn't stand Charlie Plummer's accent, or what he did with Telemachus, or what the director chose to do with his character. It seems like they didn't know what to do with him, so they send him away twice, or Odysseus knocks him out instead of having a conversation with him. I don't think they have one full conversation together. They also get rid of Laertes, which, I understand structurally why they might have. Probably for the same reason they reduced Telemachus's role: you want the emotional weight to be with Odysseus and Penelope. But I didn't feel their connection was strong enough. The conversation they have when she believes him to be a beggar veteran doesn't instill any of the qualities that the book gives to them. Instead of reminiscing and complimenting each other and bonding as strangers, she uses him as a way to accuse Odysseus. This, of course, is the biggest change, the focus on the strain and pain of war, which I found an interesting, unique aspect. But it undermines their relationship. It undermines the hope that they hold out for each other. It's restored in the end, but I don't think it's earned.
It's hard to know what to make of the movie at the end, which is something you also point out. I think there are some great choices in it, but ultimately it didn't work for me.
You’re so right about Telemachus, lol. We need no assurance to feel the way we feel, but the solidarity is nice to have as a perc of strong convictions. I still hold with one of your initial assumptions: the movie will never do what the book can do.
What did you make of that scene with Penelope and Antinoos? Where it seems that she invites him into her bedroom, and he stands at the doorway? I was very confused about what to make of his character. Are we supposed to sympathize with him before he’s killed? He gets this heroic last laugh almost. And he promises not to kill Telemachus, and then immediately renegs on it, and they have a very clumsy chase scene.
I hated their portrayal of Antinous as somehow being the most diplomatic of the suitors. In the text, Penelope calls him “death itself” if to say he has a unique place of condemnation among them, and his name implies he is a senseless person bent on opposition, not diplomacy. His death is so enjoyable in the text and such a let down in the movie.
Regarding Penelope’s treatment of him, I could still see that as being somewhat true to the book where she leads the men on to give them false hope and buy herself more time as she waits.
Well said. His death was quite a let down. I felt like the movie was torn between wanting to fulfill the source material but also comment/critique/complexify it. War and violence have scarred Odysseus and cast doubt on Penelope’s faith in her husband, and it’s obvious the director didn’t want to glorify the massacre as a result of this interpretation, but in the book the murder of the suitors is essentially a triumphant moment.
this is a well formulated piece. Great work!
Thanks so much!
Great piece Wil. I think we agree on a lot of things here. I found that ending to be the best part of the movie, especially in the way it draws focus to these characters' reunion. And the movie as a whole completely rests on the excellent performances of Fiennes and Binoche and Molina.
There are some great shots, too, like the match cut of the sea and the red threads of the loom, and the blood mixing on the soil. Odysseus fanning his bow over the flames to make it pliable. His kneeling down and eating the earth. It's a gorgeous looking movie.
We also didn't like a lot of the same things. I couldn't stand Charlie Plummer's accent, or what he did with Telemachus, or what the director chose to do with his character. It seems like they didn't know what to do with him, so they send him away twice, or Odysseus knocks him out instead of having a conversation with him. I don't think they have one full conversation together. They also get rid of Laertes, which, I understand structurally why they might have. Probably for the same reason they reduced Telemachus's role: you want the emotional weight to be with Odysseus and Penelope. But I didn't feel their connection was strong enough. The conversation they have when she believes him to be a beggar veteran doesn't instill any of the qualities that the book gives to them. Instead of reminiscing and complimenting each other and bonding as strangers, she uses him as a way to accuse Odysseus. This, of course, is the biggest change, the focus on the strain and pain of war, which I found an interesting, unique aspect. But it undermines their relationship. It undermines the hope that they hold out for each other. It's restored in the end, but I don't think it's earned.
It's hard to know what to make of the movie at the end, which is something you also point out. I think there are some great choices in it, but ultimately it didn't work for me.
You’re so right about Telemachus, lol. We need no assurance to feel the way we feel, but the solidarity is nice to have as a perc of strong convictions. I still hold with one of your initial assumptions: the movie will never do what the book can do.
What did you make of that scene with Penelope and Antinoos? Where it seems that she invites him into her bedroom, and he stands at the doorway? I was very confused about what to make of his character. Are we supposed to sympathize with him before he’s killed? He gets this heroic last laugh almost. And he promises not to kill Telemachus, and then immediately renegs on it, and they have a very clumsy chase scene.
I hated their portrayal of Antinous as somehow being the most diplomatic of the suitors. In the text, Penelope calls him “death itself” if to say he has a unique place of condemnation among them, and his name implies he is a senseless person bent on opposition, not diplomacy. His death is so enjoyable in the text and such a let down in the movie.
Regarding Penelope’s treatment of him, I could still see that as being somewhat true to the book where she leads the men on to give them false hope and buy herself more time as she waits.
Well said. His death was quite a let down. I felt like the movie was torn between wanting to fulfill the source material but also comment/critique/complexify it. War and violence have scarred Odysseus and cast doubt on Penelope’s faith in her husband, and it’s obvious the director didn’t want to glorify the massacre as a result of this interpretation, but in the book the murder of the suitors is essentially a triumphant moment.
Looking forward to seeing this.
It’s worth it!