The Odyssey: A Horror Movie Disguised as an Epic Adventure
The Odyssey, an adaptation of the ancient Greek poem by Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan, is a star-studded epic action-adventure film. However, it also features a terrifying scene that is by far the scariest scene Nolan has ever crafted. The scene in question involves the introduction of Circe, a zookeeper and witch played by Samantha Morton, and the transformation of Odysseus' men into pigs. The concept of this is scary enough, but Nolan ups the ante and lets the camera linger as Circe's hands break bones and pull skin to literally form pig heads out of their human ones. This scene is a stomach-churning, viscerally upsetting, and deeply horrifying bit of body horror smack in the middle of an epic action-adventure film.
What's particularly amazing about the frightening Circe sequence in The Odyssey, brief as it may be, is that it follows a different scary scene. The first trial Odysseus and his men encounter, which I alluded to earlier, is with Polyphemus, the cyclops (played by Bill Irwin). After following a flock of sheep into an empty cave, Odysseus and his men are ambushed by Polyphemus as he returns home for the day and blocks the entrance with a massive stone; in the process, he eats a whole bunch of Greek soldiers. This entire sequence is tense, terrifying, and will have you on the edge of your seat.
Nolan's interpretation of Circe's magic has terrifying implications beyond these men once you learn that she does this all the time. Did she have to do the same to the deer? The lion? The caged bird in her home, which we eventually learn is her own sister? Odysseus ends up convincing her to turn his men back into humans, but trust me when I tell you Circe's process will linger in your mind long after Patel and the rest turn back into regular guys.
Nolan should direct an honest-to-goodness horror movie. A tense, terrifying horror movie with some well-placed jump scares like Get Out or Weapons. Get Samantha Morton on the phone and book her as your villain so she can mount an Amy Madigan-style Oscar campaign, give Zendaya a bigger role this time, and make something scary. If you do, I'll be there on opening day.
The Odyssey is in theaters now.
