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Film Review: Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* Breathes New Life into an Ancient Epic

Film Review: Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* Breathes New Life into an Ancient Epic

C1🇨🇳 中文🇺🇸 English

July 16th, 2026

Film Review: Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* Breathes New Life into an Ancient Epic

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Please note: This article has been simplified for language learning purposes. Some context and nuance from the original text may have been modified or removed.

🇺🇸 English

Returning home, along with the reversal of time, has long been a central theme in Christopher Nolan's films.

回家以及让时光倒流长久以来一直是克里斯托弗·诺兰电影核心

The astronauts in 'Interstellar' painfully lose 23 years during their space voyage, a duration nearly equivalent to Odysseus's absence from home in 'The Odyssey': ten years fighting in Troy and another ten attempting to return to Ithaca.

《星际穿越》中的宇航员在太空旅行中痛苦地失去了23年这几乎相当于《奥德赛》中奥德修斯离家时间的长短十年征战特洛伊十年试图返回伊萨卡

Thus, to a significant extent, Nolan's 'Odyssey'despite its fidelity to Homer's epicfeels unmistakably Nolan-esque, given its genetic predisposition toward nonlinear storytelling.

因此在很大程度上诺兰的《奥德赛》——尽管忠实于荷马的史诗——从其非线性叙事的基因来看令人感觉这无疑是一部诺兰式的作品

The epic's composition dates back to the 7th or 8th century BCE, and the question of its authorship is considerably complex.

这部史诗的创作年代可追溯至公元前7或8世纪其作者归属问题颇为复杂

Yet, no one would question the creator of this 'Odyssey'a starkly existential epic that seamlessly fuses ancient narrative techniques with the audacity of contemporary IMAX-scale filmmaking.

然而无人会质疑这部《奥德赛》的创作者——这是一部朴实而存在主义的史诗将古人的叙事手法与当代IMAX级别的胆识华丽地融为一体

As a tale of wisdom that incurs the wrath of the gods, The Odyssey resonates with Oppenheimer as a kindred spirit, even serving as its direct sequel.

作为一个讲述智者之慧触怒众神的故事《奥德赛》《奥本海默》颇有姊妹篇之韵,甚至堪称其直接续作

Odysseus (portrayed by Matt Damon in what may be the pinnacle of his career), after using his cunning to bring about the sack of Troy, grows increasingly burdened by guilt over the violence and death he has caused.

奥德修斯由马特·达蒙饰演此角色堪称其演艺生涯之巅峰凭借自身智谋致使特洛伊城遭洗劫后对自身所引发的暴力与死亡愈发感到愧疚

The release of each new Nolan film is inevitably accompanied by its own shockwaves and an overwhelming tide of praise, hailing it as a 'masterpiece'.

每一部诺兰新作问世,都不可避免地伴随着它自身的震撼以及铺天盖地的杰作赞誉

(I, too, am not without blame in this regard.)

难辞其咎

Yet, although The Odyssey is Nolan's first film shot entirely with IMAX cameras, it does not stint on grand spectacle, but unexpectedly exerts its unique effect through a more concise and humanised narrative form.

然而尽管《奥德赛》诺兰首部完全采用IMAX摄像机拍摄的影片,它在宏大场面上并未有所吝惜出人意料地一个更简洁、更人性化的故事形态发挥了其独特的作用

This journeyyou may have heard that the journey itself is what mattersoccasionally feels somewhat rough, and Nolan's signature production style, combined with the historical backdrop of the story, inevitably diminishes some of its novelty.

这段旅程——你可能听说过关键在于旅程本身——有时略显生涩,而诺兰标志性的制作风格加上故事本身的历史背景不可避免地削弱了一些新鲜感

One could reasonably argue that Nolan has already made a film about a protagonist attempting to traverse layers of mentally distorted illusions to return to his familynamely, Inception.

你可以提出一个合理的观点:诺兰已经拍过一部关于主人公试图穿越层层心灵扭曲的幻象回到家人身边的电影,那就是《盗梦空间》

This is the problem posed by the source material.

这就是原始文本带来的问题

Although The Odyssey is almost invariably captivating, it is also a gripping adventure story in its own right.

虽然《奥德赛》几乎总能引人入胜,但它本身也是一个扣人心弦的冒险故事

At the very least, it stands as an authoritative big-screen adaptation of one of the oldest narratives in literary historyan undeniably remarkable achievement for an ambitious filmmaker.

至少它堪称文学史上最古老叙事之一的权威大银幕改编——对于一位雄心勃勃的电影人而言,这无疑是相当卓著的成就

Odysseus does not appear in Homer's epic until the fifth book, and Nolan (who also serves as screenwriter) likewise begins on Ithaca.

直到第五卷奥德修斯在荷马史诗中登场,而诺兰(也担任编剧)同样以伊萨卡岛为起点

There, Odysseus's home is overrun by suitors pursuing his wife Penelope (played by Anne Hathaway).

在那里奥德修斯的家被追求他妻子佩涅洛普(安妮·海瑟薇饰)的求婚者们占据

The most prominent among them is Antinous, portrayed by Robert Pattinson with repugnant precision.

其中最突出的是安提努斯由罗伯特·帕丁森以令人厌恶的精准演绎

For an actor who often (delightfully) seems out of step with the films around him, Pattinson has never fit so perfectly into a role.

对于一个经常(令人愉快地)与周围电影格格不入的演员来说帕丁森从未如此完美地融入一个角色

Telemachus (portrayed by Tom Holland in a spot-on casting choice), the son of Penelope and Odysseus, is in the prime of his youth yet resolutely embarks on a journey to find his father.

特勒马科斯由汤姆·赫兰德饰演选角精准),这位佩涅洛普与奥德修斯之子正值青春年少,却毅然踏上寻父之旅

Meanwhile, we encounter Odysseus after the fall of Troya man weathered by hardship, his hair turned white.

与此同时,我们与特洛伊陷落后的奥德修斯相遇——他饱经沧桑须发皆白

His past, when he was forcibly conscripted into the army by Agamemnon, unfolds gradually through flashbacks.

其被阿伽门农强制征召入伍的往事,则以闪回手法徐徐展开

Agamemnon, played by Benny Safdie, exudes a presence as imposing as Darth Vader, yet what truly commands attention is his colossal Mohawk-style helmet.

阿伽门农由本尼·萨夫迪饰演其威严堪比达斯·维达,然而真正令人瞩目的,是他那硕大无朋的莫西干式头盔

Vivid details of this kind are abundant throughout Nolan's richly textured film.

诸如此类的生动细节在诺兰质感丰富的电影中比比皆是

Odysseus's long ship sways gently along the Mediterranean coast, a sight that inspires awe.

奥德修斯的长船在地中海沿岸轻轻摇摆令人叹为观止

Some of the most striking work by Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema emerges when they confront the natural elements head-on (as in Dunkirk).

诺兰与摄影师霍伊特·范·霍伊特玛一些最令人印象深刻的作品是在他们直面自然元素时诞生的(如《敦刻尔克》)

The Odyssey, meanwhile, is replete with stormy seas and enchanting islands.

而《奥德赛》充满了暴风雨的海面和迷人的岛屿

If there is any shortcoming, it is that the film could have ventured further; I long to see the rosy-fingered dawn.

如果说有什么不足那就是电影本可以走得更远我期待看到那玫瑰色手指的黎明

In the opening of Homer's epic as translated by Emily Wilson (the version Nolan relies on), Odysseus is portrayed as "a complex man."

在艾米丽·威尔逊所译(诺兰所依据的版本)的荷马史诗开篇奥德修斯被描绘为一个复杂的人”。

James Joyce, whose work "Ulysses" is based on "The Odyssey," once noted that Hamlet is merely a son, whereas Ulysses (that is, Odysseus) embodies multiple roles: father, husband, lover, and warrior.

詹姆斯·乔伊斯,其著作《尤利西斯》以《奥德赛》为蓝本,曾指出哈姆雷特仅为一子而尤利西斯(即奥德修斯)身兼父亲、丈夫、情人与战士多重身份

In short, he is a mortal, albeit one of exceptional intellect.

简而言之他是一位凡人尽管是才智超群的凡人

And Damon, as one of the most approachable mortals, has fully demonstrated his remarkable adaptability to the multifaceted nature of this archetypal hero.

而达蒙作为最平易近人的凡人之一充分展现了自己对这一原型英雄多面性的出色适应能力

When we first encounter him, he is a soldier leading a small fleet away from Agamemnon's armada, sailing southward alongside his second-in-command Eurylochus, brilliantly portrayed by Himesh Patel.

我们初次与他相遇时他是一名士兵率领一支小型船队脱离阿伽门农的舰队与副手欧律洛科斯由希米什·帕特尔出色诠释一同向南航行

Their course triggers a series of episodic adventures: an encounter in the cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus; an assault from the pine forest inhabited by the man-eating Laestrygonians; a shared meal with the sorceress Circe, played by Samantha Morton; and Odysseus's seven-year detainment with the sea goddess Calypso, portrayed with sincere and captivating performance by Charlize Theron.

他们的航线引发了一系列片段式的冒险与独眼巨人波吕斐摩斯的洞穴遭遇食人巨人莱斯特律戈涅斯所盘踞的松林袭击;与女巫喀耳刻(萨曼莎·莫顿饰)共享的一餐;以及奥德修斯与海女神卡吕普索(查理兹·塞隆以真诚而迷人的表演呈现)长达七年的羁留。

You might argue that the film resembles a series of assembled scenes, yet what magnificent scenes they are!

你或许会辩称这部影片宛如一系列拼凑而成的场景这是何等壮丽的场景啊

This includes the story of the Trojan Horse, which is merely touched upon in the epic but becomes central here.

其中包括特洛伊木马的故事在史诗中仅被一笔带过在此处却成为核心

It is not difficult to see that Nolan nearly directed 'Troy' over twenty years ago, and this scenebeginning with the Trojan Horse buried in the sand and ending with the burning of Troyhe had conceived for years.

不难看出诺兰在二十多年前曾险些执导《特洛伊》而这个场景——从埋于沙中的特洛伊木马起始至特洛伊城燃烧终结——他已构思多年

Each stop on Odysseus's journey provides Nolan with a mythic playground, allowing him to explore imagery that borders on the terrifying.

奥德修斯旅程中的每一站,都为诺兰提供了一个神话般的游乐场让他得以探索近乎恐怖的意象

What captivates me most is the most surreal moment in The Odyssey: the sight of a giant hand emerging from the shadows, and the encounter where the 'ghosts' of Odysseus's fallen soldiers rise from the black soil of the underworld.

最令我陶醉的,是《奥德赛》中最超现实的时刻一只巨手从阴影中伸出的景象,以及奥德修斯阵亡将士的“幽灵”在冥界黑色土壤中升起的会面

The film opens with the phrase 'an age that seems like magic.'

电影一个看似魔法的时代”作为开场白。

Nolan wisely relegates the gods to the background.

诺兰明智地众神置于背景之中

Their power is real, yet aside from Zendaya's Athenawho appears as Odysseus's confidantethe gods themselves never materialize on screen.

他们的力量真实存在除了赞达亚饰演的雅典娜作为奥德修斯的知己出现)之外,众神本身并未在银幕上现身

This choice brings Nolan's 'Odyssey' and its themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and honour closer to reality, while also highlighting the profound significance of his wide-ranging casting.

这一选择使诺兰的《奥德赛》及其关于牺牲、忠诚与荣誉的主题更贴近现实同时凸显他广泛选角的深远意义

This story, passed down through generations by singers and storytellers, belongs to all of humanity.

这部由歌手与说书人世代相传的故事,属于全人类

Presenting this film with a diverse castincluding Lupita Nyong'o as Helenis not only a fair interpretation of pure mythological narrative but also infuses the movie with contemporary vitality.

以多元化的演员阵容呈现此片——包括露皮塔·尼永奥饰演的海伦——不仅是对纯粹神话叙事的公允诠释更为电影注入了当代的活力

Witnessing Elliot Page (as an unforgettable fallen soldier), John Leguizamo (as the faithful servant Eumaeus), and Damon set within this ancient backdrop is a key reason to watch 'The Odyssey' and an opportunity to revisit this oft-told tale of Homer.

目睹埃利奥特·佩奇令人难忘的阵亡士兵)、约翰·雷吉扎莫忠实的仆人欧迈俄斯以及达蒙置身于这一古老背景之中是观赏《奥德赛》的重要缘由也是荷马这个被反复讲述的故事值得重温的契机

If there is a lack of roles today, what meaning does it hold?

倘若今日缺乏角色其意义何在

Nor were there cameras in 700 BCE.

公元前700年亦无摄像机

Nolan's 'Odyssey' runs nearly three hours, yet it never feels sluggish.

诺兰的《奥德赛》片长近三小时但毫无拖沓之感

The film's momentum stems from the clash between past and present, along with Odysseus's lost path.

影片的推进力源于过去与现在的碰撞以及奥德修斯迷失的路径

Gender roles are scrutinized, while traditional masculinity is upheld.

性别角色受到审视同时传统男性气质得到维护

The poem's endingtroublesome for its mass slaughteris adapted into a more palatable fight scene.

诗的结局——因其包含大规模杀戮而棘手——被改编为更易接受的打斗场面

Yet the essence of 'The Odyssey' remains: Odysseus's quest to overcome his own flaws and hold fast to his faith is revitalized.

但《奥德赛》的精髓犹在奥德修斯克服自身过失坚守信念的追寻再次焕发生机

One could say that Nolan has come home.

可以说诺兰回家了

The Odyssey, distributed by Universal Pictures and scheduled for release on Thursday, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association for containing violence and coarse language.

《奥德赛》由环球影业发行定于周四上映因含有暴力和粗俗语言被美国电影协会评为R级

The film runs 172 minutes and has earned a rating of three and a half stars out of four.

该片片长172分钟在四星制中获得三星半的评价

July 16th, 2026

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