Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was everything he promised it to be - grand, haunting, and a version of Homer’s epic that Nolan wanted the world to see through his imagination. Nolan did not just give us Odysseus’s journey home but also his trauma and his guilt of opening the gates to the end of a civilization.  It has been more than two weeks since this epic saga has been running on the big screen, and it has already generated strong buzz for inevitable Oscar nods in the Best Picture, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, and many other technical categories, but in the acting department, only one name comes to mind - Anne Hathaway. 

But why not the main lead of the movie, on whom the whole story is based? Why not Matt Damon for a much-awaited Oscar after Good Will Hunting?

First and foremost, Matt Damon deserves all the appreciation for the efforts he put in to look and feel like the part. Matt Damon’s Odysseus has the grace and elegance of a King, but at the same time he displays unflinching subservience and undying loyalty as the trusted general of Agamemnon. He channels pride but not vanity, which is reflected well through a subtle but kind expression on his face and in the manner with which he treats his subordinates. Damon appears to be a true leader in that regard.

So if he looks the part and is deep into the skin of the ancient hero, then why should he not get an Oscar for that? The answer to this question takes us into the thick of his journey home, where he is exhausted and doubting himself for letting his men down. There, his acting actually feels like a steady stream for a man whose inner self is agitated from the perils of the voyage, from his failure in protecting his men, and from losing his way home more and more.

It is not that his acting feels flat in these moments; on the contrary, it is brilliant and grounded, but it might be too grounded given the extraordinary situations he faces. The ever-serene expression on his face does not really change much in places where he encounters disturbing threats like Circe and Calypso. And against the Laestrygonians, he is just reacting to the chaos and nothing more. 

The most persuasive argument for this motion might be the scene where he launches an arrow into the eye of the Cyclops after they successfully got out of the cave. It was an act of spite, something he did to kind of avenge his fallen comrades. But that exact emotion did not reflect in his expressions. Even his horrified expressions during these situations do not really pierce your skin and send a chill down your bones. The best it does is convey the gravity of the situation.

How Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Adds Guilt, Baptism, and the Golden Rule

But there are moments of brilliance in the movie where Damon really gives in to the psyche of the character and his anguish.

There were exactly two moments in particular where Matt Damon was not the actor from his other movies and transcended the boundaries between self and character. One would definitely be when the Greek army stormed the city of Troy and caused mayhem that would leave a scar on history for the ages to come. 

They did not just plunder, m*****, or invade the city; they obliterated every trace, every evidence of humanity from the place. It was just like mentioned in the film: the anger and hatred born out of rotting away on the shores of Troy for nearly 10 years poured on the city in one night and decimated everything in its way.  

And witnessing all this was Odysseus - the man who led the way for this carnage in the guise of a gift to their gods. The destruction and the slaughter made it very clear to him that he did not just break Zeus’ sacred law, but also the unspoken bond between men. Damon embodies that trauma and that guilt in a way that makes you dread, with him, what just happened. 

Another instance would be the scene towards the climax where Odysseus has a conversation with Penelope in the disguise of a beggar, recounting his journey and what the fall of Troy was actually like. This conversation was actually the release of all the trauma and guilt that kept him away from home all these years. And Damon’s acting in this scene clearly displays a transformation in Odysseus that just signals his readiness for his homecoming.

However, despite these flashes of genius, it is still not enough ammunition to start gunning for an Oscar Award. He might receive a nod for his efforts and might even make a strong case for his candidacy through campaigning, but the performance will still fall short of an Oscar win, with strong competition from Jaafar Jackson as a beyond convincing Michael Jackson, Sebastian Stan, who was exceptional in the Palme d'Or-winner Fjord, and upcoming performances by Tom Cruise in Digger, Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part III, Pedro Pascal in Behemoth!, and many more.

Every Practical Non CGI Effect Behind Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' and Its Scariest Scenes

What do you think about Matt Damon’s chances at an Oscar for The Odyssey? Do let us know in the comment