The Odyssey, a high budget made-for-TV adaptation of Homer's epic adventure, is, by television standards, a monumental achievement. By theatrical standards, the special effects are ambitious but not overwhelming. Yet it's hard to deny that it captures the sweeping spirit of Homer's original poem with color and verve. Armand Assante plays Odysseus, flawed hero of the Trojan War. When victory is won, he defies the gods with the sin of pride. Poseidon is angered and punishes him with the curse that he will never return home to his family and heritage. So he and his men are doomed to wander the Mediterranean Sea, bumping into powerful and deadly creatures that hamper his journey. Most of the episodes of Homer's poem are incorporated in some fashion.
