THE ODYSSEY

Director
Christopher Nolan

Starring
Matt Damon
Tom Holland
Anne Hathaway
Robert Pattinson

Following the Greek’s war in Troy, King Odysseus [Damon] has been missing, presumed dead. Meanwhile his wife Penelope [Hathaway] and son Telemachus [Holland] host scores of suitors who plot to take control of the kingdom of Ithaca. However, we learn Odysseus is indeed alive, slowly recovering his memories of the past 8 years, as well as the fate of his crew. And mounting a final voyage home.

Structurally, Homer’s epic is mostly a series of island-based vignettes. The Greeks, returning home from war, stumble across one tribe or another, somehow anger the gods further, and are chased back to the sea, often losing many of their number en route. And this is essentially repeated again-and-again. Over the decades, screenwriters have tried to make this episodic flow feel less repetitive, with varying degrees of success. Here, the opening is slow and somewhat disjointed for the first half hour. Admittedly, it works and makes sense, but it breadcrumbs instead of truly throwing you in. Rather than asking, The Odyssey demands of its audience patience and commitment. But when it finally settles into the various flashbacks, tales, and threads of rumour, it moves at a clipper.

Ultimately, The Odyssey’s biggest strength is also its greatest weakness: Nolan. Now, I don’t need the excess of Louis Leterrier’s Clash of the Titans but, personally, I want something magical from my mythological fantasy. Yet, the very first admission of restraint comes from the opening intertitle which reads, “In a time of apparent magic…” Apparent. And so, much like Inception’s dreams, what we’re shown may have an air of the mystical to it, but it’s still too grounded. Everything from Polyphemus the cyclops, to the man-eating giant Laestrygonians, to the monstrous Scylla, they’re all just too grey. Yes, the practical elements are wonderful, the score is thunderous, the cinematography is gorgeous, but it should feel more adventurous, it could all be so much more colourful, rich, and lavish. All that being said, it has to be acknowledged that this is still easily Nolan’s most adventurous effort to date. It may not reach the heights I want and expect as a fan of the genre and text, but it’s clear Nolan is stepping outside of his comfort zone – even if only by a toe.

Another staple of a Christopher Nolan release is a stacked cast. And The Odyssey is no different. At the forefront is Matt Damon in an undeniably commanding performance. Historically, Odysseus is a cunning warrior, a noble ruler, and something of an adventurer. For this adaptation, Nolan is once again drawn to the story of conflicted leaders (and the price it pays to be one), and Damon’s performance balances Odysseus’ hubris and arrogance – especially as his attempts to save the few men he has left result in repeated failure. Able to juxtapose the middle-aged tactician, and the aging tired war hero, Damon brings an effortless weight to the role. But also a vulnerability, most notably in Odysseus’ horror and joy at the siren’s song.

While this film is replete with various figures entering and exiting the story, the main supports are Odysseus’ wife, son, and the main rival suitor, Antinous [Pattinson]. Namely because they represent everything at stake for Ithaca’s king: his love, his heir, and his honour. But the joy of this movie, is that as you remember a specific scene or character, that memory stretches and suddenly other standout appearances come to the fore. The power and cruel drive of Menelaus [Jon Bernthal], the dedication of Eumaeus [John Leguizamo], the relatable humanity and frustrations of Eurylochus [Himesh Patel], or the creeping ghoulishness of Tiresias [James Remar], it all feels so expansive and rich.

You may have noticed, I’ve primarily discussed the male characters. And that’s because there are plenty of monsters in The Odyssey, many of which are women. Thankfully, the Emily Wilson translation serving as guiding inspiration, seeks to balance some of the lesser developed female presence, as well as adding some much needed reframing for a modern audience. It’s fair to say that throughout his career, Nolan has a notoriously bad history with female characters; the majority of which are manipulators or tools to motivate male characters. But here there’s enough complexity and nuance to soften those edges. The world of The Odyssey is a male-driven one; a world of pain, ego, greed, and ambition. And, understandably, as a byproduct of all that, we have scorned and impacted women, making this a story of injustice and striving to stay alive in an imbalanced world. A good example of this is Zendaya as Athena. In the text, the gods interact with characters on a regular basis. But in an effort to maintain his verisimilar account, Athena is given a concurrently godly presence but also just the personification of Odysseus’ guilt.

**spoilers within**
It may feel odd to mark spoilers on a nearly three thousand year old story, but I’m primarily referring to this iteration’s presentation. For the majority of this movie’s runtime, it was sitting at a 4/5 for me. A core example of strong, practical filmmaking but lacking a certain bite to lift it to a loftier status. That is, until the denouement. The choice to frame the entire misadventure home as an arc processing Odysseus’ guilt at the horror of what the Greeks did at Troy makes for an amazingly impactful finale. In the same way Oppenheimer presents themes of legacy and anti-war/empire sentiment, The Odyssey looks at the toll an extended military campaign takes on the mind, the soul, and those around you. Throughout the movie the film warns of “the people from the sea” as bloodthirsty pillagers and craven individuals, only to later reveal that these ghastly transformations are in fact the men returning home from war. And that due to this conflict being so prolonged and brutal that all forms of hospitality and civility have been eroded from society at large. It’s a simple but effective message. Something presented best through what you’re hearing as much as what you’re seeing; thanks to Ludwig Göransson’s haunting score and some of the most crushing and overwhelming sound design, that deafens with the cries of war and ethereal lamentation.

If you’re wandering what makes this adaptation of The Odyssey unique from others, it’s arguably the violence and the shame, offering more of a recontextualisation than a straight adaptation; even though all the major pieces are present. Personally, I would have liked to see Nolan venture deeper into the magical and the horrific, something akin to Darren Aronofsky’s maligned Noah but what we have here is undeniable cinematic spectacle that will resonate with audiences wanting an experience that can’t be matched outside of the biggest screen you can find.

Release Date:
17 July 2026

The Scene To Look Out For:
Without doubt or contest, the most talked about scene is going to be Odysseus crew taking refuge in Circe’s house. A deeply disturbing yet poignant commentary about human nature, Circe (played magnificently by Samantha Morton) turning the men into pigs is wonderfully unpleasant. Not some sterile transformation but a macabre moulding of human clay. Which is juxtaposed nicely by the restoration being a soft and soothing stroking with whispers of “go back to your disguises.”

Notable Characters:
In the run up to this film’s release, swarms of bots and bad-faith actors bombarded the movie with complaints of Elliot Page’s presence as Achilles. In not only a complete misreading of that character, it was just your typical 21st century hate-mongering based on supposition and speculation. Most notably because Page plays Sinon (a Roman inclusion by Virgil) not Achilles. Despite only being present in a handful of scenes, Sinon has a huge, reaching impact across both the story itself and Odysseus’ development that serves to strengthen the tale, its themes, and the underlying culpability wedged into the main character’s heart.

Highlighted Quote:
“You’re not always going to be the strongest or the fastest, so be the smartest.”

In A Few Words:
“It may suffer minor shortcomings but the sheer scale makes it unquestionably grandiose.”

Total Score: 5/5

Linked Reviews

THE MARTIAN OPPENHEIMER THE DARK KNIGHT RISES