The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a movie that makes you think of what it was like in our past. It also teaches you the mythology of the times. It also shows how ones love for someone last for a lifetime and beyond. One ting that I admired was the way it protrayed by the actors...they made it believable. I would highly recommend this movie for those into mthy and gods. It gives some historical views about them.

I just loved this movie. Any movie with Armand Assante is always wonderful. Vanessa L. Williams very steamy and she's so beautiful. I loved all the characters in this movie. It really captured my heart. I have watched it at least 5 times and just purchased it about two or three weeks ago. Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. Very sexy movie and a lot of class and love!!

Casting is superb, particularly Assante and Rossellini. An outstanding achievement by the director. Homer's epic could not have been placed in better hands. This is a treat for mind and heart. I highly recommend it.

Brought a great sense of immediacy to the text for student understanding. Arrived on time and in great quality!

There is a definite "Hollywood" flavor to Homer's classic, but The Odyssey comprises much of the story and, yet, keeps the viewer engaged with visual special effects. Approximately 3 hours in length, this film embodies the main aspects of Homer's story without getting too detailed. Perhaps many people didn't care much for this film because it is not completely accurate to the story. It seems to me that many of the parts that were altered were minor in nature and, in general, didn't affect the overall quality of the film. The producers of The Odyssey seemed to be wary of accuracy when it came to telling the major points of the story. The casting was great. Armand Assante does a good job of portraying the hero, Odysseus. He seems to capture the leadership qualities intended to the journey back to Ithaca. Bernadette Peters is cast as Circe, Vanessa Williams is Calypso, and Isabella Rossellini plays Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, and Greta Scacchi plays Penelope, Odysseus' wife. What makes this particularly a wonderful movie is that it serves two purposes. It teaches the main points of The Odyssey to those who are not familiar with it, and it is a modern adaptation that can be appreciated by the "reluctant" viewers of classics. Encompassed within the film are many of the adventures that Odysseus experiences in Homer's epic poem: the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse, the Cyclops, Hades (the Land of the Dead), Calypso's Island, Circe's Island, The wrath of Poseidon, The Suitors and the Suitor's Challenge, Penelope's Test of Odysseus' faith. Most of the time, visual effects do little to awe me, especially when there is a story to be told. But, imagery and setting aids in creating a true epic feel in The Odyssey. The camera angles of vast sea while they are afloat, the images of the setting sun and moon, the depiction of the God of the Sea, Poseidon, and his angry wrath on Odysseus, the realistic images of The Cyclopes (and other creatures), and the battles between the Greeks and Trojans all serve to establish a "grandiose" effect of the epic poem. All these visuals give the story a "larger than life" feel. Aspects of The Odyssey that were irksome were overdone scenes with Odysseus and his "temptors"-Calypso and Circe. They seemed to drag these out unnecessarily and tried to be a little too "heated" with some of the lines and sexual innuendos. It seemed that they could have edited these more and given more time and effort in another more important aspect of Odysseus adventure-such as his return to Ithaca. What one must take in mind before viewing this and other classics on film is that often it is a "retelling" of the story; this being said, The Odyssey is "almost" accurate. Overall, this is a film that successfully depicts Homer's classic with integrity. Rating: 4 1/2 stars. Also recommended: Jason and The Argonauts, Clash of the Titans

I started watching the movie when it was a mini series, and I didn’t get to finish it. It was a great movie!!!!!

The movie wsa filled with action and lots of special effects....I loved the plot and the sory was meaning full.

The movie is certainly good enough to purchase, but I don't agree with most of the reviewers here that it was "fabulous." As some pointed out, the script could use some help. I liked the cast. Armand Asanti is wonderful in the lead role, Isabella and Bernadette are always fun to watch, as is the stunningly gorgeous Vanessa Williams. And, of course, Eric "They took my thumbs!" Roberts (poor Eric is so underated). For a movie made in 1997, they sure skipped on the special effects. The effects were cool enough, but no razzle-dazzle here. Even so, it's a good flick for a rainy Saturday and for $10, ya really can't go wrong.

Surprisingly this film is hard to find. Copy I got is reasonably good quality but it doesn't have subtitles. Then again if I open and play this DVD in VLC player subs are there ,I just have to turn them on via VLC. Great story and while I can complain about some aspects of this production I won't - I like it with all its flaws.

Thanks !