Matt Damon is leading Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, through which he’s continuing his weirdest trend, but this is what confirms why he’s perfect for the role. Christopher Nolan has earned the respect of critics, fellow filmmakers, and viewers with the unique narrative and visual style of his movies. As such, there’s always a lot of speculation and anticipation around his projects, even more so now after the huge success of Oppenheimer. Nolan’s next project is The Odyssey, based on Homer’s epic poem of the same name.
The Odyssey already stands out from the rest of Christopher Nolan’s movies as it’s an epic fantasy-action, something he hasn’t done before. Homer’s Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, who is on his way home after the Trojan War to reunite with his wife, Penelope. During his journey, he comes across the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch goddess Circe. The Odyssey stars Matt Damon, and he’s continuing a weirdly specific career trend that also confirms why he’s perfect for this movie.
Matt Damon’s History Of Playing Characters Trying To Get Home Is One Reason He’s Perfect For Odysseus
Matt Damon Has Played Various Characters Who Just Want To Return Home
Matt Damon plays Odysseus in Nolan’s The Odyssey, adding to his career yet another character who’s trying to get home. Damon has a diverse acting career, covering various genres and styles, but he has created a trend of playing characters who need to be rescued. Of course, the settings and reasons for these characters needing help to return home are different, but this weirdly specific track record shows exactly why Damon is the best option to play Odysseus.
The Odyssey is Matt Damon’s third collaboration with Christopher Nolan.
Matt Damon’s characters who need to be rescued are not new, and they go all the way back to 1996 with Courage Under Fire. Some notable examples of Damon’s characters who need to be rescued and return home are James Francis Ryan in Saving Private Ryan, Mark Whatey in The Martian, and Dr. Mann in Interstellar – one from the war and the other two from different points in outer space.
Damon has excelled in his dramatic roles (whether the character needs rescuing or not), and The Odyssey brings together drama, epic (which he isn’t a stranger to, either), and fantasy, all genres Damon knows well by now. Damon’s characters who are trying to get home all go through various challenges in the process, some of them personal, with The Odyssey mixing the latter with fantasy creatures that will add another layer to this specific Damon trend.
Why Odysseus Is Still A Different Kind Of Role For Matt Damon (Even If He Is Trying To Get Home Again)
It’s Home, But Different
Despite being a new addition to the list of Matt Damon’s characters who are trying to return home, The Odyssey will be different from the rest. As mentioned above, its mix of drama, epic, and fantasy is already making it stand out not only in Nolan’s filmography but also in Damon’s. Although he’s no stranger to action movies and has briefly visited the realm of epics, Damon’s acting range has proven he can take on a character like Odysseus, who brings together some of his strengths.
The Odyssey is also more about Odysseus’ journey itself than his possible rescue or his plan of returning home. Although it’s unclear how loyal Nolan will be to the source material, it should be expected to focus on the journey and what Odysseus encounters through it, rather than the struggle to get home. The setting, source, and story are also different among Matt Damon’s works, and so The Odyssey could become one of his best performances and movies.
