Image Credit: Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures
This past summer was an exciting return for box-office hit movies. With staggering box office returns from lower budget hits like Obsession and The Backrooms, to the more predictable success of kid’s hits Toy Story 5 and Minions and Monsters, this summer has felt like a return to form not seen since even before the pandemic. In honor of this historic movie season, we’ve decided to give a review of this year’s two heretofore unmentioned juggernauts: The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Releasing only two weeks apart from one another, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and Destin Daniel Creston’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day both feel destined for an examination. After trading places for the highest gross of the summer, while also simultaneously starring Tom Holland, Zendaya and John Bernthal, the two films, although extremely different on their surface, have a lot more in common than first appearances would suggest.
LIGHT SPOILER WARNING for both The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day
I will preface that I would not consider myself a film critic in any capacity, but even considering that, The Odyssey left me an awestruck bystander to Nolan’s mastery over his craft. Being based on written work from centuries past, the film does not feel like it. Although they were few and far between, the wide sweeping shots of the various locales featured in the film were stunning. Whether it be the lush and foggy fields of Circe’s island or the vast beach expanse outside the walls of Troy, Nolan’s effort with this movie is most clearly seen through the stunning visuals captured throughout the entirety of the runtime. Having been filmed entirely on IMAX, the depth and texture of the visuals are certainly top tier. Although the 70mm screenings are few and far between across the country, the level of detail even in a typical screening out does many of its contemporaries. All that in mind, it would be remiss to mention that having a budget of roughly $250 million could make any artist’s creative direction and unconventional decisions come to life on the big screen.
Another aspect I thought was particularly well done was the character transformation of Matt Damon’s Odysseus throughout the course of the film. I will openly admit that during the first half of the film, the visuals were the primary thing keeping me hooked. However, towards the tail end and during the emotional high point, it really turned the corner for me. The Odyssey is a story about dealing with the consequences when you trade short term gains for long term stability. Matt Damon’s breakdown about the cost of his actions really resonated with me. Although perhaps not to the same level as Oppenheimer, The Odyssey does an incredible job of delivering its primary message in a way that felt earned emotionally.
That being said, there are problems with the film. Although not as noticeable during the first viewing, in retrospect the dialogue is by far the weakest element of the film. Although the physical portrayal of the characters was very well done, the dialogue feels like the biggest limiting factor in trying to truly feel like the characters on screen are real. It’s hard to convey without actually seeing the film, but there are lines throughout the movie, and especially one right before the end of the film that almost made me laugh at how clunky they felt. I don’t necessarily escribe to the idea that the film should portray the dialogue to be exactly in line with Homer’s interpretation, but the film feels stuck between wanting to be digestible to a modern person’s dialectic sense, while simultaneously attempting to fulfill its obligation to stay somewhat true to its source material.
Switching gears, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has a lot more baggage to consider before diving into its content. With recent reexaminations of the prior entry Spider-Man: No Way Home being much more critical than its reception at launch, I was skeptical how they would pick up the pieces in this new film. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at the apparent return to form that this new entry brought about.
Although not to the level of The Odyssey, Creston’s entry into the modern Spider-Man franchise does sport some earnestly good visual spectacle. Although modern Marvel movies often face criticism over the inexcusably bad quality of CGI present at times, I thought this movie did a fine job at presenting the supernatural elements of the story in a grounded way that other MCU films have struggled with.
In terms of narrative, I wholeheartedly agree with the consensus that the film’s story feels like a return to form for Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker. After spending his last couple on-screen appearances galivanting through multiversal events and fighting alongside galactic deities, this film presented a much more grounded and emotional take on the character that I particularly appreciated.
Whilst I appreciated the more serious take on the character present within the film, there are some tonal disconnects that hurt the believability of Peter’s emotional journey. As has been a recurring criticism of Marvel’s recent outings, the film does lean a little too heavily into humor. I will admit, there are some gags in this movie which are genuinely funny, and that adds to the overall experience. My primary issue is the narrative dissonance between Peter’s emotional turmoil in one scene, and his happy go lucky attitude shining through in the next. I understand from a narrative perspective why Spider-Man would put on a happy facade, but it just feels a little unearned for my taste. All that in mind, it is a minor criticism of a film I had a great time watching.
One thing I found particularly interesting about these star-crossed features is the resonance I felt between the narrative arcs of the two titular characters. Although they inhabit vastly different worlds and face very different obstacles, the emotional toll of their actions and the inciting incidents of their emotional journeys face feel very close to one another. Both characters face immense emotional turmoil over the cost of trading their happiness and peace of mind for the apparent good of others. Although Spider-Man’s case is much more black and white in terms of who is good and bad, both films present characters grappling with the cost of giving up one life for the sake of the ones you care about. In a modern landscape defined by uncertainty, these films help remind us that even as we go through what feel like our own Odyssey, we can always remember that tomorrow is a Brand-New Day.
Would I recommend seeing The Odyssey?
Yes – 9/10
Would I recommend seeing Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Yes – 8/10
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