Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is a monster of a movie. It’s super long, has a huge cast full of A-listers, and feels like an overwhelming experience from start to finish. And somehow, in the middle of all the things going on in this movie, Elliot Page stands out as Sinon.
Warning we’re about to get into MAJOR SPOILERS territory for the movie adaptation.
When we’re presented with Sinon, he’s just a boy. And we don’t understand the significance of him going to war and Antinous staying, the latter promising to look after the former’s family. We just know that honor is a huge part of his world being presented to us. Honor and committing to the path placed into your hands.
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Ten years later, Sinon is on the shores of Troy, a soldier who fights under Odysseus. And when the soldiers of Troy come to their abandoned shores and find only Sinon and the Trojan Horse, Sinon informs them it’s a peace offering. He pays with his life and we don’t see him again until Odysseus and his men hear from the testimony of their fallen.
This is where everything changes for Odysseus and why I feel like Sinon is the soul of this movie.
By this point in the movie, Odysseus is still fighting to get back home. But he’s also still fighting against the reality of what he did in Troy, the lives lost, the way they disregarded Zeus’ law, and the lives that they’ve lost along the way. Doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care for his men. He does. But there’s a disconnect.
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When Sinon appears, it’s like he’s back home in Ithaca, the place he’s heading to but still somehow running from. Sinon acts as a wakeup call. He’s a reminder of home, but also how much time has passed, the things that Odysseus has tried to forget or ignore, and a reminder that honor still matters in this world.
In any other actor’s hand this moment of truth wouldn’t have hit so hard. But thankfully we have Elliot Page, who manages to convey the characters anger, disappointment, love, and understanding with such a fierce determination that is flawless and deeply emotional. And you can’t look away, even if he’s covered in mud from head to toe, just drank blood, and his eyes look a little crazed.
This moment also gives you perspective on the kind of man that Sinon was. He was brave for staying behind with the Trojan Horse when everyone left. But he was also terrified because he thought he was alone in that moment, the truth of Odysseus and soldiers being with him only coming to light for him after he died.
While Sinon’s words will weigh on Odysseus’ shoulders to the very end of this film, guiding him home and leading to a confrontation with a grown Antinous, this is also Sinon’s moment. This is his final testament and confronting the person that guided him so he wouldn’t lose his way. It’s his moment to express his anger and disappointment for how things ended while also helping guide Odysseus home.
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Of course, Odysseus makes it back to Ithaca, reunites with his family, and returns Antinous shame for not keeping his promise. But days later I can’t stop thinking about Elliot Page and their Sinon. Because yes, they conveyed their anger and helped Odysseys get back on track. But they also acted as a reminder to the audience that we don’t do this alone. None of us do.
So honor the living and the dead by owning up to your mistakes, treating others how you want to be treated, and by remembering that we’re all on this boat together. We always have been.
The Odyssey is now in theaters.
What did you think of Elliot Page in The Odyssey? Let us know in the comments below!
Queerly Not Straight posts Saturdays on Fangirlish with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community. Posts are ONLY published on Fangirlish.
