The Odyssey 🌊⛵️⚔️
The good, the bad and the boring of the summer blockbuster's movie's fashion moves
I have been following Christopher Nolan’s epic epic through a foreign policy lens for some time now. ICYMI, the Odyssey is the first Hollywood production to film in Western Sahara - a disputed territory that both Morocco and the indigenous Sahrawi people claim as their own. I explain Nolan’s choice (and silence) here:
This film has seen its share of controversies. And several of them center around the fashion choices - both on screen and on the red carpet. Fashion was one more vehicle for the film’s critics to express outrage over what were perceived as historical inaccuracies which bled in to debates over identity, representation and even climate change.
On Screen: Armor Wars
The main on screen fashion debates have been over the armor worn by both Odysseus (Matt Damon) and Agamemnon (Benny Safdie). Critics point out that the Odyssey takes place during the Mycenaean Period when armor was made out of bronze but Damon’s armor appears to be made of iron - it isn’t shiny like new bronze or blue-green like older, worn bronze. Experts also note he is also wearing a Corinthian helmet, which came later than the period of the Odyssey.
Okay, but the Odyssey is not an actual historical event - it is a poem based on oral stories, so does the exact shade of armor really matter? IMHO the historical accuracy is less important than if the costumes look good. And here, Nolan is getting some well-deserved shade (pun intended).
Benny Safdie’s King Agamemnon is giving Batman, another Nolan production. And the overall aesthetic is very drab, which some viewers find “boring.” This is compared to other similar period films like 300 and Troy, which employ much more exciting adornments.
In the Odyssey Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland look more like modern Ren Faire attendees than stars of a $250 million Nolan joint.
Off Screen:
Of course the red carpet controversies have focused on the female actors. Zendaya, who plays Athena, was dinged multiple times in the press for some real and some exaggerated criticisms.
First, at the London premiere she wore a custom Schiaparelli couture gown that was flown on its own private jet from Paris immediately after the dress debuted on the Paris Haute Couture runway. Girl, this is something even climate change deniers can’t get behind. Sure, she looks incredible, but wouldn’t this look work at the Paris premiere held 2 days later and requiring no dress transport?
Fun fact: Zendaya’s not the only diva in the cast. My friend happened to be on the same flight as Matt Damon en route to the London premiere. Damon arrived surrounded by an entourage and made all the normal people already on the jetway step aside so Damon didn’t have to wait in line. 🙄
Zendaya came under fire later on the press tour for wearing what archaeologists have called ancient Iranian artifacts. They were acquired by a British jewelry designer and critics have said they should be returned to Iran or preserved in a museum, rather than paraded around.
The other female stars (Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Charlize Theron as Calypso, and Lupito Nyong’o as Helen of Troy) each adopted a form of method dressing at various press events - channeling both Greek-inspired design elements and nods to their characters. They all managed to achieve distinct looks that married the modern and the ancient very well.
Theron plays a sea nymph so her fits had flowing, water-like elements and textures.
My favorite of the red carpet looks was Nyong’o at the final event in New York. Note her adorable custom Olympia Le-Tan Odyssey clutch. The best part - she is wearing $110 Aldo shoes alongside two massive uncut diamonds!
I’ll close with another note on representation. Despite this being a story of Greek origin, Nolan was called out for his lack of casting any Greek actors. All of this matters because Nolan said himself that he based his interpretation of the Odyssey on Emily Wilson’s translation. Wilson was the first woman to translate the Odyssey and she intentionally addressed issues of marginalization and misogyny in her version. Sadly, Nolan’s take seems to have perpetuated marginalization, rather than addressed it, as Wilson’s own scathing review of the film notes.