Odyssey Review: A Chaotic Descent

Odyssey throws viewers into a gritty, chaotic underworld with a stellar lead performance, striking visuals, and an explosive finale.

It’s a moment that encapsulates everything about her life: pain, desperation, and a constant downward spiral masked by a thin veneer of luxury. Before we even have time to breathe, the title card smashes onto the screen, setting the tone for a film that thrives on unrelenting energy.

Directed by Gerard Johnson and co-written by Austin Collings, Odyssey immerses us in a grimy, coke-fueled London underworld where desperation and violence bloom. Natasha, already drowning in personal and financial chaos, makes a deal with loan sharks to hide a kidnapped agent, which pushes her further into a world she can barely navigate. The film succeeds in its early moments, capturing Natasha’s spiraling life with an intensity that feels both exhilarating and suffocating.

One of Odyssey’s standout qualities is its striking visual style. Cinematographer Korsshan Schlauer bathes the film in a moody blue color grading, enhancing the cold, detached atmosphere of Natasha’s world. The use of a fisheye lens adds a sense of distortion, as if the city around her was warping under the weight of her bad decisions. It’s a clever choice, making London feel both expansive and claustrophobic at the same time, trapping Natasha in her own downfall. I really admired the choices made here, I would watch this movie again for the cinematography alone.

Polly Maberly more than understood the assignment and gives an A+ performance as Natasha. She is brash, rude, and entirely unlikable, yet you can’t take your eyes off her. There’s a rawness to her portrayal that makes her oddly compelling, you don’t root for her, but you also don’t want to look away. Whether she’s barking orders, snorting lines, or making one reckless decision after another, Maberly fully commits to the chaos of her character. She understands Natasha’s contradictions, her desperation masked by arrogance, her vulnerability buried under layers of aggression, and brings them to life with precision.

While the first act grips you immediately, the film struggles to maintain its momentum. The second and third acts don’t carry the same punch as the opening, gradually losing the tight grip it initially had. The energy dips, and scenes begin to drag, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. Natasha’s descent should feel like a relentless freefall, but instead, it stalls, leaving certain stretches of the movie feeling repetitive rather than escalating.

That said, Odyssey doesn’t go out quietly. The last 15-20 minutes are a return to form, delivering a high-intensity, chaotic climax that fully embraces the film’s gritty, unhinged nature. It’s a violent, frenzied explosion of consequences that pulls you back in just when interest begins to wane.

Odyssey is at its best when it leans into the chaos, with an unfiltered performance from Polly Maberly and a striking visual style that enhances its grimy world. However, a sluggish middle act prevents it from being a knockout. The film starts strong, dips in the middle, but manages to stick the landing with an explosive finale. While it may not be the smoothest ride, it’s certainly one that grabs your attention and refuses to let go, at least for most of the journey.

Odyssey had its World Premiere at SXSW on March 9, 2025, with additional screenings scheduled for March 9-12. Read our SXSW reviews!