Nolan's Odyssey: A Film About the End of Our Epoch

Christopher Nolan's film 'The Odyssey' is a deliberate reinterpretation of Homer's epic, focusing on the theme of the end of an epoch rather than a faithful retelling. Nolan sets the story in the late Bronze Age, with Odysseus aware of the impending collapse of his world, a choice that critics have both praised and questioned. The film draws parallels between the ancient Greek world and our contemporary Western order, suggesting that the breaking of foundational laws—such as the Greeks' violation of Zeus's law with the Trojan Horse—mirrors the erosion of the modern 'rules-based order.' The author argues that events like the Israeli genocide in Gaza symbolize the burning of Troy, marking the definitive end of international human rights and laws. The film's ending, where Odysseus sails west with his wife, echoes the departure of the elves in 'The Lord of the Rings,' signifying the end of an era. Nolan's work is compared to Lucan's 'Pharsalia,' an epic about the ruin of Rome, as both artists speak to their own times. The author concludes that Nolan's film is not about the past but about today, reflecting the decline of the Western world and offering a bleak outlook, as Odysseus's final line suggests that future generations will have forgotten how to write.