Sunday Scaries: Christopher Nolan Got to Show Some Horror Chops With Certain Sequences in ‘The Odyssey’

The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! This time around, we’re taking a look at how one of the biggest releases of the year, from one of the biggest filmmakers out there, has a bit of horror within it…

The Odyssey is a hit. Not just a hit, but another example of Christopher Nolan being one of one in Hollywood. Expect it to be a major Oscar player, potentially even the early frontrunner for Best Picture, and to give Nolan even more clout. Why am I talking about it during a Sunday Scaries column, though? Well, much like with Oppenheimer, there’s a horror element at play here. Last time, it was thematically doing some horror things. This time? Certain sequences get to show how great a Nolan horror flick would be.

When I wrote about the horror of Oppenheimer (here), I said the following, in part:

So, what makes it horror? Well, it’s the horror of nuclear annihilation. Cillian Murphy‘s title character is plagued by visions of what could go wrong with making an atomic bomb. He’s warned by several people about the dystopian aspects of creating this weapon. J. Robert Oppenheimer took on this role for science, though it’s only later on when he realizes that it’s potentially a doomsday machine as well.

The back end of the film makes this clear. Not only has he had to contend with the test of the bomb having a small chance of destroying the globe, he then sees what the actual use of the weapon entails. His move towards nuclear disarmament and turning his back on his own creation is just the icing on the cake. In fact, the final moments of the movie have a reveal about what character said to him, as well as a final nightmare, that hammer home just how horrific Nolan sees this potential outcome. Nothing here shies away from the horror of nuclear warfare, but that’s when he’s most explicit about it all.

As for The Odyssey, this section here from my review gets into Nolan’s filmmaking:

Christopher Nolan writes and directs this epic with not just a supreme confidence, but also a love for creating a memorable cinematic experience. Shooting entirely on IMAX cameras and on 70mm film, he and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema are feasting on the possibilites. Every shot of The Odyssey can take your breath away. Nolan and van Hoytema are truly able to transport you inside the Greek myth. The pacing, at nearly three hours, is incredibly strong, with editor Jennifer Lame never allowing the rhythm of the film to wain. The score is outstanding as well, as composer Ludwig Göransson continues to outdo himself, helping to keep you on the edge of your seat. They all combine flawlessly with Nolan’s direction to have the look, feel, and sound of the flick be impeccable. As for the screenplay, Nolan’s adaptation is also a wild success, utilizing modern dialogue in a manner that’s not the least distracting. The movie adapts freely, yet clearly with admiration, resulting in a supreme triumph for all involved.

Horror-wise, two sequences stand out. The first is when Matt Damon‘s Odysseus and his men encounter the Cyclops Polyphemus, performed by Bill Irwin. Not only is the monster horrific and truly goes to town on some of the soldiers, Nolan films the whole thing as a monster movie. He also stretches it out longer than you’d expect, building tension and keeping you on edge for the next legitimately terrifying attack.

The other sequence involves Samantha Morton‘s witch Cerce. While I won’t say exactly what happens, anyone familiar with the tale will see this aspect handled with much more of a body horror feel than you’d expect from Nolan. Morton is great in the role, especially in her scene opposite Damon, but prior to that, how she handles the soldiers at her doorstep is truly horrific and unsettling. It’s a legit horror moment, which was a joy to witness.

Will we ever get a Christopher Nolan horror flick? Probably not, though the two sequences in The Odyssey mentioned above does get us closer than ever. For genre enthusiasts like myself, that’s an exciting prospect, as it’s possible that his next film will include more horror. From there? Anything is possible…

Stay tuned for another Sunday Scaries installment next week!