July 14, 2026

Monty Python couldn't improve on this. Suffice to say, someone doesn't know their classical Greek history/mythology too well. They have excavated remains from the site of Troy and undertaken facial recreations. Would it surprise anyone to know they look Greek? Would it surprise anyone, too, to know the main figures of Homer's work, are described clearly, as Greek?

Upsides include reasonable if at times miscast acting, great sets, okay action a… read the rest.

Monty Python couldn't improve on this. Suffice to say, someone doesn't know their classical Greek history/mythology too well. They have excavated remains from the site of Troy and undertaken facial recreations. Would it surprise anyone to know they look Greek? Would it surprise anyone, too, to know the main figures of Homer's work, are described clearly, as Greek?

Upsides include reasonable if at times miscast acting, great sets, okay action and top locations.

In summary, I wonder what actual Greeks make of this re imagining of their proud heritage? For me, what I can say the past is what it is, not what revisionists want it to be. Enough said.

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July 15, 2026

Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/the-odyssey-2026-christopher-nolans-most-faithful-epic-is-also-his-most-ambitious-one/

Rating: A+ (updated after second viewing)

THE ODYSSEY is a maximalist, deeply faithful adaptation of Homer's poem that somehow ends on a quiet, contemplative note despite everything it throws at you along the way. Completely unafraid of its own scale and scope, it's ten years of war, myth, and horror… read the rest.

Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/the-odyssey-2026-christopher-nolans-most-faithful-epic-is-also-his-most-ambitious-one/

Rating: A+ (updated after second viewing)

THE ODYSSEY is a maximalist, deeply faithful adaptation of Homer's poem that somehow ends on a quiet, contemplative note despite everything it throws at you along the way. Completely unafraid of its own scale and scope, it's ten years of war, myth, and horror (!) woven into the story so tightly that the whole thing paradoxically feels more grounded, not less. An astonishingly stacked ensemble led by a phenomenal Matt Damon, deceptively convincing practical effects, and filmmaking craft firing on every level. Ludwig Göransson's score alone is worth the ticket. Easily one of the best theatrical experiences of the year. This is Christopher Nolan at his most alive.

SECOND VIEWING:

Just rewatched THE ODYSSEY and somehow loved it even more the second time around. Knowing the whole story only made certain scenes hit harder, especially the moment Odysseus finally opens up to Penelope about what the Battle of Troy really cost him. Cried through most of it. The film moves with even more confidence once you already know where it's headed, and I can't find a single scene I'd cut. This is my first A+ since Dune: Part Two.

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July 17, 2026

The hype was massive, the crowd was packed, but the boredom in the theatre at the end credits said it all. A 172-minute film felt like it was a 6+ hour watch. This isn’t a respectful adaptation of Homer’s epic; it’s a bloated, self-important disaster that butchers the source material, erases Greek identity, and rams woke DEI nonsense down your throat while delivering some of the worst big-name acting I’ve seen in years. Right from the opener, it … read the rest.

The hype was massive, the crowd was packed, but the boredom in the theatre at the end credits said it all. A 172-minute film felt like it was a 6+ hour watch. This isn’t a respectful adaptation of Homer’s epic; it’s a bloated, self-important disaster that butchers the source material, erases Greek identity, and rams woke DEI nonsense down your throat while delivering some of the worst big-name acting I’ve seen in years. Right from the opener, it was clear Nolan had zero interest in Homer’s actual text. Instead of going back to the original Greek or a faithful classic translation, he based the whole thing on Emily Wilson’s modern, feminist-slanted version, that crappy, agenda-driven reinterpretation that twists the poem’s language, downplays traditional heroism, and injects contemporary gender politics. No wonder the soul is missing. **_The Odyssey_** is the foundational poem of Western civilisation, cunning, nostos, divine meddling, human endurance, told in sweeping oral poetry. Nolan reduces it to mere nothingness. Matt Damon as Odysseus is the biggest miscast of all; he sleepwalks through it like a tired Jason Bourne in a chiton, delivering flat quips with zero charisma or bronze-age king energy. No wit, no depth, just brooding stares. Zendaya’s Athena is wooden and out of place, Tom Holland’s Telemachus is hyperactive but empty, Anne Hathaway’s Penelope feels phoned in, and Robert Pattinson’s turn is lost in the gloom. Charlize Theron as Calypso, Jon Bernthal, walked and looking like he's out of a Robin-Hood film, and John Leguizamo all feel awkwardly shoehorned in with zero chemistry or gravitas. Worst of all is Elliot Page as Sinon (replacing Achilles after backlash); he runs around like a marionette doll with stiff, unnatural movements that kill every action beat. Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy (and Clytemnestra) is completely out of place and entirely misrepresents the characters. The entire main cast is miscast to hell. Bad acting across the board sinks what little soul remains. The zero Greekness is unforgivable. This is the profoundly Greek cornerstone of Western literature, the first great literary piece of our civilisation, and Hollywood turned it into a generic fantasy IP. Greece helped fund this thing with taxpayer money, yet there’s not a single Greek actor in a major role. No olive-skinned warriors, no Mediterranean fire, no authentic Mycenaean aesthetics, let alone authentic period costumes. In fact, the landscapes and costumes look like leftover Nolan dark fantasy. Even worse, they loaded it with actors in roles that directly contradict the Homeric descriptions and classical imagery of ancient Greek heroes and gods... what the hell was Travis Scott doing in this film! It is a cultural erasure at its most blatant, profiting off Greece’s heritage while replacing the people it belongs to. The premiere didn’t even happen in Athens because they were scared of the backlash. Smart move, because Greeks are rightly outraged. The woke DEI casting is peak insult. Lupita as Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships, really? Homer's text depicted her with golden hair and fair beauty, but Nolan decided to 'modernise' the text to fit into today's woke-DEI agenda. Zendaya as Athena... with her usual dull facial expressions? Elliot Page’s tiny 'man-playing-woman-playing-man' Achilles stand-in? The rainbow ensemble screams committee quotas over truth. It’s not “inclusive”; it’s dishonest revisionism that strips the story of its European roots and historical context. On top of that, Nolan’s signature grim, dark tone, all brooding shadows and moral ambiguity, feels completely wrong for this story. **The Odyssey** belongs to bright Mediterranean sun, blue seas, blue skies, and passionate Hellenic vitality, even amid tragedy. Slapping his Batman/Dunkirk gloom over it makes everything feel oppressive and mismatched, like forcing a Nordic winter onto the Aegean; indeed, he even included Viking-style ships, of course completely unrelated to the period! The music doesn't fit in any scene, and the rap at the end credits was another WTF moment. Visually watching some scenes in IMAX is impressive, but it’s an empty spectacle. Feels like there was not even any climax to the point I thought by the middle of the film, when will it end? Save your money and don't bother. Reread the original **Odyssey** instead, **Homer's Odyssey**. In fact, go ahead and reread **Homer's Iliad** too while you're at it to see how much the actors and Nolan himself knew nothing of the actual original material. Nolan’s _The Odyssey_ is a one-star, two-star mess at best, with terrible acting, cultural disrespect, reliance on a politicised translation, 'modernised' like Nolan himself said, for the public, while in truth it was for the critics and Oscar voters, and it is also total proof of everything that is wrong with modern Hollywood, wrapped in expensive packaging.

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July 18, 2026

This has to be the best movie theater experience I’ve ever had. I unfortunately couldn’t see it in 70MM IMAX as Houston doesn’t have one and didn’t want to drive to San Antonio. I watched it in standard IMAX at Regal Lonestar 12 minutes from home. I’m a Nolan fan but not everything he’s done has been great. The passing in this movie is amazing. I was waiting for a slow part in the movie to go the bathroom but it just kept going and kept you hooke… read the rest.

This has to be the best movie theater experience I’ve ever had. I unfortunately couldn’t see it in 70MM IMAX as Houston doesn’t have one and didn’t want to drive to San Antonio. I watched it in standard IMAX at Regal Lonestar 12 minutes from home. I’m a Nolan fan but not everything he’s done has been great. The passing in this movie is amazing. I was waiting for a slow part in the movie to go the bathroom but it just kept going and kept you hooked. I’ve seen all the negative reactions of this film from stupid people making stuff up without watching it. I’m in a smaller area north of Houston and a lot of us aren’t liberal but also not crazy right like the small vocal idiots are. Homers Epic was literally Epic. Nolan out did himself on this one.

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July 18, 2026

ABSOLUTE trash of a movie, goes against all ethos and morals in filming, it takes way identity and places people of new world order agenda. Very poor adaptation of homer. Matt with his daughters and wife should spend time in India for the next pandemic, instead of Ireland. I will say this, pacing, story telling, amazing scenery, all of that dont fool the millenials audience, maybe genz, since they are so much into hype and 4k - its easy to mislea… read the rest.

ABSOLUTE trash of a movie, goes against all ethos and morals in filming, it takes way identity and places people of new world order agenda. Very poor adaptation of homer. Matt with his daughters and wife should spend time in India for the next pandemic, instead of Ireland. I will say this, pacing, story telling, amazing scenery, all of that dont fool the millenials audience, maybe genz, since they are so much into hype and 4k - its easy to mislead them. Also, lets take a moment to dedicate how far the studio has gone to show this film early in the most populated country, to get positive reviews from a very ill informed audience!

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July 19, 2026

As one of the 2026 summer movie season’s most anticipated releases, writer-director Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of Homer’s literary epic, The Odyssey, has generated more than its share of reactions and for a variety of reasons. So I’ll come right to the point on my view of this release: I liked it, but I didn’t love it. This retelling of the diverse experiences of Greek warrior Odysseus (Matt Damon) on returning to his Grecian home of I… read the rest.

As one of the 2026 summer movie season’s most anticipated releases, writer-director Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of Homer’s literary epic, The Odyssey, has generated more than its share of reactions and for a variety of reasons. So I’ll come right to the point on my view of this release: I liked it, but I didn’t love it. This retelling of the diverse experiences of Greek warrior Odysseus (Matt Damon) on returning to his Grecian home of Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War explores the many adventures and profound soul-searching of his 10-year journey, the second half of a 20-year-long absence. Waiting for him back home are his devoted wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who has long been courted by a band of would-be suitors like Antinous (Robert Pattinson) who believe her husband is dead, and Telemachus (Tom Holland), the son who’s never met his father and stands to succeed him as King of Ithaca should he be officially declared deceased. This historic drama, a common reading selection in many high school English lit classes, thus follows the intrigue and adventures from the perspectives of the trip and the homefront, many of which viewers are likely to find familiar in this cinematic depiction. However, not everything works in this adaptation. For starters, the film is too long with its 2:52:00 runtime, especially during the picture’s languishing, talky opening hour. Then there’s the writing, which incorporates more than its share of ill-fitting contemporary dialogue, material that should have never made its way into the final script. And there are noticeable exclusions and underdeveloped sequences from the source material that could have been included and/or tweaked in the film narrative with the removal of overlong, extraneous material. For example, despite frequent references to the Greek gods, their presence in the film is largely absent save for a few conversations between Odysseus and Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom (Zendaya). A similar fate befalls Helen of Troy (Lupita Nyong’o), “the woman who launched a thousand ships” and prompted the Trojan War in the first place, and Calypso (Charlize Theron), the mysterious caregiver who loves an ailing Odysseus and nurses him back to health for seven years in the midst of his journey. With those shortcomings aside, however, “The Odyssey” has its share of strengths, too, such as the picture’s decidedly engaging second half, as well as its fine performances, especially those of Hathaway, Pattinson, Holland and Samantha Morton as Circe, a witch whom Odysseus encounters during the trip home. Those looking for action-adventure segments will find plenty of those here as well, although the special effects depicting them are noticeably inconsistent – great in sequences like the Greeks’ ambush of their opponent’s stronghold with the ploy of the Trojan Horse and the soldiers’ dangerous encounter with the massive, menacing whirlpool Charybdis, and not so great during their contacts with the seductively voiced Sirens, the one-eyed giant Cyclops and the multi-headed cliff-dwelling monster Scylla. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how and why this production failed to live up to some of the high expectations that had been set for it, though it’s a safe bet that it might have fallen prey to believing its own pre-release hype, especially coming off of the impressive and well-earned success of Nolan’s previous effort, “Oppenheimer” (2023). Obviously, viewers will have to make up their own minds, but keeping the foregoing impressions in mind may prove helpful in formulating those opinions as audiences wend their way through their own personal odysseys.

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July 19, 2026

Homer's epic has endured for thousands of years, and Nolan's adaptation reminds you exactly why. The dialogue is lean and purposeful, he trusts the audience completely, and every setpiece — Cyclops, Sirens, Ithaca's reckoning — builds to a stunning finish. Superb acting, cinematography, and seeing it in IMAX just adds to everything that makes it epic. The year's best film, full stop.

July 20, 2026

With a production design worthy of Sir Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan takes us into antiquity for his take on the second instalment of Homer's Trojan War stories. I have to say it's maybe not the most impressive of wooden horses that is left as a tribute for the maybe just a little too gullible Trojans, but now we know that this decade-long siege has all ended in a mighty conflagration and that Odysseus (Matt Damon) is keen on returning to Ithac… read the rest.

With a production design worthy of Sir Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan takes us into antiquity for his take on the second instalment of Homer's Trojan War stories. I have to say it's maybe not the most impressive of wooden horses that is left as a tribute for the maybe just a little too gullible Trojans, but now we know that this decade-long siege has all ended in a mighty conflagration and that Odysseus (Matt Damon) is keen on returning to Ithaca where his wife and son await him. On that island, though, strife is rife. Penelope (Anne Hathaway) is being besieged by an army of suitors like Antinous (Robert Pattinson) and the young Telemachus (Tom Holland) isn't really best equipped to step in and protect his mother from their machinations. Now flitting between the island's domestic issues and the legendary trials of the returning husband, Nolan tries to weave the two threads together in quite a compelling fashion. The snag for me throughout this epic drama is that we spent too much time on Ithaca with the family issues and not enough time with Odysseus and his crew as they faced a plethora of deadly foes and evil temptations as they traversed the Mediterranean. Too many of their adventures are too tightly compressed and involve a few scenes of menace before everyone rushes back to their ships - usually fewer than arrived - before continuing on their dangerous travels. Much is told thanks to his memory-provoking conversation with the lotus peddling Calypso (Charlize Theron) but again, we don't really get to grips much with who she is or what he is doing on her beautiful island. Charybdis and the Sirens, even the Cyclops are all given a little too much short shrift as we dwell more at the other end of his voyage on the issues facing the young Telemachus as he travels to Sparta to find news from Menelaus and his now restored wife Helen. The visual effects are pretty spectacular and Damon manages quite well to craft a character who is brave and ingenious but also troubled by both the destruction of Troy and by his behaviour whilst participating in that. What we also avoid here is much involvement from the Olympians. Barring some regular references to Zeus's laws of hospitality and a few scenes with Athena (Zendaya) who appears to be acting more as his psychiatrist than a goddess of war and wisdom whose statue was unceremoniously decapitated during the assault of the city, and whose temple was unceremoniously defiled - we don't really involve them. If you've read even the briefest of adaptations of the novel, you'll know that many of his difficulties getting home were due to the anger of gods like Poseidon and Apollo - yet those characters remain somewhat omni-absent. Perhaps, and I don't write this lightly, three hours simply isn't long enough to do justice to the characterful complexities of the story? I did enjoy this and it flew past, but I really wanted much more of the fantastic, the horror and the terror and maybe just a little less of the troubled souls presented here, and I was just a little bit disappointed as I left. Perhaps he's saving more for the director's cut?

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July 20, 2026

An amazingly ambitious effort that mostly pays off. Solid acting, great production values, and an effective reuse by Nolan of plot elements and characters from Homer's epic to tell a story for the modern audience. I have no regrets having paid for theater tickets to have seen this.

A more detailed look here: https://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2026/07/19/movie-review-the-odyssey-2026.html

July 21, 2026

Laughably bad. The funniest part, albeit unintentional, was when travis scott did his black 'slam poetry' attempt. I heard several people in the audience start giggling. It was the part of the film that I'll always remember. I bet a thousand memes will live on in history thanks to this POS movie.

Acting was bad except for Pattinson. I truly don't understand why some of these people were cast, they have zero connection to Greece. Anyway, like I… read the rest.

Laughably bad. The funniest part, albeit unintentional, was when travis scott did his black 'slam poetry' attempt. I heard several people in the audience start giggling. It was the part of the film that I'll always remember. I bet a thousand memes will live on in history thanks to this POS movie.

Acting was bad except for Pattinson. I truly don't understand why some of these people were cast, they have zero connection to Greece. Anyway, like I said several parts were laugh out loud funny, but I'm 100% sure the director didn't mean for ppl to laugh. Next time we won't be so quick to buy a ticket to a nolan movie, probably skip the next one and maybe see it at home.

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July 22, 2026

only One word " Masterpiece "
every department at its finest
Direction top notch
screenplay top notch
Music and Background Tracks Top notch
cinematography top notch
totally a typical Nolan's film

July 23, 2026

One of the biggest insult to human intelligence. Nolan has done everything in his power to disintegrate the world, the word and spirit of Homer's poem. Nothing of the message has remained. Even Emily Wilson spurious translation of the Odyssey upon which it seems to be based has condemned the movie by saying that Nolan seemed only interested in shaming the character but no interest in his glory. Listing all this errors would be an endless exercise… read the rest.

One of the biggest insult to human intelligence. Nolan has done everything in his power to disintegrate the world, the word and spirit of Homer's poem. Nothing of the message has remained. Even Emily Wilson spurious translation of the Odyssey upon which it seems to be based has condemned the movie by saying that Nolan seemed only interested in shaming the character but no interest in his glory. Listing all this errors would be an endless exercise. But what stroke me is the preposterous commitment of errors so vast that once you stop for a second you realize that they were 100% intentional and causing the cost to skyrocket, so one has to ask: why shipping a Norwegian Drakkar from Scandinavia? Plenty of triremes in Greece to be used. Or why casting asian soldiers? why casting a black rapper? or Helen who is meticulously described in the Iliad as of very fair skin and likely blonde (yes Greeks were of Keltic origin, Achilles too was blonde. Why insisting on steel weaponry or steel armor?

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July 24, 2026

Frustration on the "bizarre" and immersion-breaking casting choices—such as Elliot Page and Lupita Nyong'o—stating that Hollywood completely stripped away Odysseus's legendary tactical brilliance in favor of thin writing and modern ideological changes.

July 25, 2026

Super boring, mid acting, bland set-pieces, what a waste of money and talent and technology (imax). Terrible soundtrack, miscast actors (Zendaya and Tom Holland for sure), too long, bland color palate too.

July 30, 2026

So I went to see this one 2x because I had to confirm if I was tripping because my reaction just wasn't what most people felt when they saw The Odyssey according to the reviews here. The second viewing only confirmed my initial reaction, it's a good enough film but it not a mastepiece.

On a technical filmmaking level The Odyssey puts foot to ass and delivers some hard hitting moments like the cyclops encounter and the battle with the giant Lae… read the rest.

So I went to see this one 2x because I had to confirm if I was tripping because my reaction just wasn't what most people felt when they saw The Odyssey according to the reviews here. The second viewing only confirmed my initial reaction, it's a good enough film but it not a mastepiece.

On a technical filmmaking level The Odyssey puts foot to ass and delivers some hard hitting moments like the cyclops encounter and the battle with the giant Laestrygonians. It's also immersive watching Odysseus and his crew on thier ship as they're traveling about the region, you feel like you're on the ship's deck. It's a film that excels at visual spectacle many times, combined with some inventive sound design and there are many moments that will stick with you.

So then there's that other half of the film and it's mostly were I felt the biggest disconnect from the material. Half of this film is spent with Penelope and Telemechus and how they navigate Odysseus' absence. These stretches are clunky and poorly written IMO. I wanted to groan out loud at their final confrontation before the last feast. Anne Hathaway's eyes and forhead veins bulge as she utters poorly written line after poorly written line in the strangest cadence. There's so many moments like this. 

I think Tom Holland and John Leguizamo seemed the most comfortable and natural while saying the dialogue. It wasn't even the modern language that bothered me. I just ask, why go through the effort of stacking this cast and then turn around and give them crumbs to work with in terms of a script? It really made it hard to connect with these characters on an emotional level. I think that's why the dog was added, so folks could feel something. Make a little effort so we can have some energy in these exchanges and John Bernthal doesn't just sound like Frank Castle in a robe. I think probably the most consistent group was Telemechus vs the suitors in the dining hall, and that's thanks more to Corey Hawkins and Robert Pattison's abilities than what was written for then. Tom also did a great job of being pissed and taking jabs at them. They made me laugh a few times, I genuinely wanted to fight them. Also I do give a lot of props to the Cerce scene. That was one of the few times where the dialogue and acting were in sync and cooking. Outside of that, memorable bars and exchanges were few and far between. Zendaya, Lupita, and Charlize just felt wasted. So many of these moments I just didn't care for and their blandness really stood out a second time. The average Game Of Thrones episode plays better than this dramatically.

Overall I think it's a technial marvel, but there's too many films that have come out this year that I've enjoyed so much more that prevent me from putting this one among them.

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July 30, 2026

**The Odyssey is a three-hour insult to the audience**

This film refused to take the source material seriously. The casting was a DEI checklist, with the assembly so jarring that it was on par with the forced multiculturalism in 2008's "10,000 BC". Costumes, sets, and dialog all shattered immersion and made it unbelievable. Pacing was slow, dragging viewers through poorly lit sets. Worst of all, every actor was simply playing themselves.

T… read the rest.

**The Odyssey is a three-hour insult to the audience**

This film refused to take the source material seriously. The casting was a DEI checklist, with the assembly so jarring that it was on par with the forced multiculturalism in 2008's "10,000 BC". Costumes, sets, and dialog all shattered immersion and made it unbelievable. Pacing was slow, dragging viewers through poorly lit sets. Worst of all, every actor was simply playing themselves.

The film didn't succeed in convincing that it was set in the ancient Mediterranean, and poor effort was made to make it feel like bronze-age Greece. It was a massive step backwards in film, especially after Mel Gibson set the bar in 2006's Apocalypto.

This is Hollywood is failing: all hype, zero substance. Save your money.

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August 1, 2026

Movie actually surprised me.

It was told in such a way that I was never bored. It bounce between current and past events in such a way it felt like a memory.

The visuals were amazing. Simple and not so CGI that you felt like you watching a cartoon or some garbage AI generation. All the actors gave great performances. You knew who to hate and who to love.

I recommend this one.

August 4, 2026

Epic pulls you in / Troy behind them, hope ahead / What men really are

#filmreviewhaiku

#moviereviewhaiku

August 13, 2026

Incredibley Insane It was Amazing watching it in IMAX even though the sound was sometimes a problem but i loved every second of it!

August 13, 2026

After watching this in IMAX, I’m not surprised why people are talking about this movie.

I’m not someone deeply versed in Greek mythology, but I can say that this film is an absolutely insane masterpiece. The way the storylines gradually converged kept me fully engaged, allowing me to watch this nearly three-hour film without ever feeling drowsy. Not to mention the visuals and cinematography—it felt like a real feast for the eyes. Although for… read the rest.

After watching this in IMAX, I’m not surprised why people are talking about this movie.

I’m not someone deeply versed in Greek mythology, but I can say that this film is an absolutely insane masterpiece. The way the storylines gradually converged kept me fully engaged, allowing me to watch this nearly three-hour film without ever feeling drowsy. Not to mention the visuals and cinematography—it felt like a real feast for the eyes. Although for the first dozen minutes or so I kept wondering, "Where is Odysseus?", my curiosity was ultimately satisfied once he appeared on screen.

I don't know about others, but I was thoroughly impressed by the performances of Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway.

I mean, Anne Hathaway—you are a true queen. Absolutely stunning. I loved how she conveyed all those "suppressed" emotions; she made me feel that same sense of stifled anguish, even though I wasn't the one playing Penelope.

And Matt Damon—his portrayal of Odysseus’s regret made it impossible not to feel the sting of the betrayal he suffered at the hands of those he trusted.

I know how confusing Greek mythology can be and how chaotic the conflicts are (even if I haven't delved too deeply into them), but this film strikes the perfect balance.

Last but not least, I like you, Robert Pattinson, but I felt like punching you when you played Antinous. And one more special shout-out to Tom Holland and Zendaya—you two absolutely cooked it as Telemachus and Athena.

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August 22, 2026

Many viewers seem to criticize this movie for not showing “how it really happened” — that is, as Homer wrote it. But why should it?

The movie is not for people who couldn’t be bothered to read the book but still want to know the story, nor is it trying to retell Homer’s story exactly. And it probably wouldn’t make a very good movie for a modern audience if it did, given how different our worldview and experiences are.

Like every work derive… read the rest.

Many viewers seem to criticize this movie for not showing “how it really happened” — that is, as Homer wrote it. But why should it?

The movie is not for people who couldn’t be bothered to read the book but still want to know the story, nor is it trying to retell Homer’s story exactly. And it probably wouldn’t make a very good movie for a modern audience if it did, given how different our worldview and experiences are.

Like every work derived from Homer’s original (including translations, or even a modern reader’s reading of the original) this is **one interpretation**. And a very good one, in my opinion.

Technically, the movie is extremely well made, and I think it captures the desperation and fragmented nature of the original story, as well as the sense that much of what happens is, in some way, bogus. There were a few minor things that weren’t to my taste, as there are in all Nolan movies, but still: 9/10.

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August 22, 2026

# A movie made for cinemas, with some typical Nolan choices

Great movie overall, just what you need to get people flocking to cinemas. Excellent cinematography, practical AND computer-generated effects. An immaculate immersive experience. Just the way you should put an epos on film. The approach is very different from what 300 did and a comparsion of those movies would be an innteresting topic from someone with more knowledge than me on movie… read the rest.

# A movie made for cinemas, with some typical Nolan choices

Great movie overall, just what you need to get people flocking to cinemas. Excellent cinematography, practical AND computer-generated effects. An immaculate immersive experience. Just the way you should put an epos on film. The approach is very different from what 300 did and a comparsion of those movies would be an innteresting topic from someone with more knowledge than me on movies. One is emphasizing legendary action at the cost of immersion, the other is emphasizing realism at the cost of memorable action scenes. I think that's intriguing, but now to the few "bad" things in my opinion:

Grade A acting from everyone except Tom Holand, who could've been switched out for a piece of wood that is making a concerned face. For the screentime he got, he earned no emotions. Jon Bernthal did more in his few minutes. The "controversial" casting choices would've stood out without the overblown controversy. As mentioned before, this is an epos, so essentially, a ancient fantasy story, maybe loosly based on real events. So by my taste, the director is free to interpret this story and put it into action in the way he wants. However, Ellen/Elliot Page doesn't sell as a man/young soldier. The scenes with her/him took me out of the immersion because the character feels off.

Secondly, I hate that ancient places are always displayed like someone went to a ruin today and restored it with minimum effort to make it barely livable. It's already bad in medieval movies, where everything is stone when we know castles had as much decor as possible (at least in the places where the important conversations take place), but I guess audiences are used to the "military" frugal, hard look of stone walls, that was establised through theatre and operas in the late 19th century and some stuck till this day. What a shame. Especially when knowing how colorful roman architecture was(inside and outside). This must have applied in some capacities to the mycenaean greeks as well. Nolan gave the inside of Ithakas palace some paint, but it still doesn't look like a place that's taken care off/people actually living in. It makes sense considering "the king has been gone for 20 years" and the general grim tone of the movie, but I still feel like it's a wasted opportunity to start a new trend of more realism. Especially since the non-methodological scenes appeared to be purposefully historically (late bronze-age) accurate.

And lastly, I simply hate Nolan combat scenes. I hate the shaky cam. Stop it. You didn't need it for this movie like you did with a stiff-neck batman or boring gun-fights. You have people going at each other with swords, at least tone down the shakiness by 50%. Please.

I will definetly buy this movie once it comes out. Probably worth more than a single rewatch for the cinematography alone.

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August 23, 2026

The movie is visually spectacular and good story telling. Unlike the earlier epics like Gladiator(old movie) I was not able to feel the weight of the main character (Odysseus) and his actions. Another let down of the movie is casting of Helen. But, I guess it's a depiction of an existing work, so not much to complain. The scale is also not very grand compared to movies like 300, Gladiatory, or Bahuballi - The epic.

September 6, 2026

I think this film is really good and the cast is great. The only flaw is that I would have liked to see the scene where Ulysses says to Polyphemus "I am nobody." But still my final rating is 8,2.

September 13, 2026

The movie, watching in IMAX, brought back the magic of watching movies in the theatre for me. Loved it so much that went to watch it twice. Highly recommended.

September 18, 2026

Homer would not recognize his great epic poem from the garbage they turned it into. Why even bother attributing any of it to him as its not what the poem was meant to portray. The only resemblance to the poem is the name, after that its just made up, woke leaning, virtue signaling. Don't waste your money and wait for it to be released on a streaming service if you absolutely must see it. It won't be in theaters long and unless they fake the earni… read the rest.

Homer would not recognize his great epic poem from the garbage they turned it into. Why even bother attributing any of it to him as its not what the poem was meant to portray. The only resemblance to the poem is the name, after that its just made up, woke leaning, virtue signaling. Don't waste your money and wait for it to be released on a streaming service if you absolutely must see it. It won't be in theaters long and unless they fake the earnings it will be a huge money loser. Girls playing at being boys playing at being men .... yadda yadda

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September 21, 2026

**Score: 2/10 An Epic That Lost Its Way Home**

What did I miss? That's the question I kept asking myself throughout Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey*. I was expecting so much more. The pedigree was undeniable: Nolan behind the camera, a staggering ensemble cast, a legendary source material that has endured for nearly three millennia. And yet, what unfolded on screen was, to put it bluntly, like watching a kids' movie.

**The Tone Problem:… read the rest.

**Score: 2/10 An Epic That Lost Its Way Home**

What did I miss? That's the question I kept asking myself throughout Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey*. I was expecting so much more. The pedigree was undeniable: Nolan behind the camera, a staggering ensemble cast, a legendary source material that has endured for nearly three millennia. And yet, what unfolded on screen was, to put it bluntly, like watching a kids' movie.

**The Tone Problem: A Myth for Children**

Homer's *Odyssey* is not a children's story. It is a brutal, bloody, morally complex epic about a man who survives a decade of war only to spend another decade fighting monsters, gods, and his own flaws to get home. It deals with temptation, infidelity, vengeance, and the sheer, grinding cost of survival. Nolan's film, however, feels sanitised. The violence is bloodless. The monsters are cartoonish. The gods are reduced to plot devices. The moral ambiguities that make Odysseus a fascinating, flawed hero are sanded down into a bland, heroic archetype.

This is a film that seems terrified of its own darkness. It wants the prestige of Homer without the discomfort.

**The Coen Brothers Did It Better**

And here's the thing that kept nagging at me throughout: **the Coen Brothers did so much more with the material in *O Brother, Where Art Thou?*** Their 2000 film is a loose, Depression era adaptation of the *Odyssey*, and it crackles with wit, heart, and genuine thematic depth. It understands that the power of Homer's epic lies not in the monsters or the spectacle, but in the characters their flaws, their longings, their stubborn, flawed humanity. The Coens took the bones of the story and built something alive, something that resonated with audiences who had never read a line of Homer. Nolan, by contrast, has taken the same bones and dressed them in expensive but lifeless armour. *O Brother* is a classic that grows richer with every viewing. This *Odyssey* will be forgotten before the year is out.

**The Performances: Wasted Talent**

The cast is extraordinary on paper. But extraordinary actors cannot save underwritten roles. The supporting players and there are many are given little more than extended cameos. They appear, deliver exposition, and vanish. There is no time to develop relationships, no room for chemistry to breathe. The emotional beats that should land with devastating force the reunion with Penelope, the recognition by Argos, the slaughter of the suitors pass by with a shrug.

**The Visuals: Spectacle Without Soul**

Nolan is a master of practical effects and large format cinematography, and there are moments of genuine visual grandeur. But spectacle without emotional investment is just noise. The set pieces feel disconnected, more like theme park attractions than narrative climaxes. The Cyclops is impressive in scale but lacks menace. The Sirens are beautiful but forgettable. The sea journeys that should feel epic feel episodic.

**The Pacing: A Slog and a Rush**

The film cannot decide what it wants to be. It rushes through key moments Odysseus's time with Calypso, the encounter with Circe while lingering on others that add little. The result is a film that feels both overstuffed and underdeveloped. It is, at times, genuinely boring.

**The Verdict**

*The Odyssey* is a profound disappointment. It takes one of the greatest stories ever told and reduces it to a shallow, sanitised, emotionally hollow spectacle. It is a kids' movie version of a myth that was never meant for children. It earns its 2/10 for the undeniable craft on display and the occasional glimpse of what could have been. But craft without soul is just a hollow shell.

**Watch if:** You want a visually polished but emotionally empty introduction to the story, or you're a completist for Nolan's filmography.

**Skip if:** You love Homer, you love epic storytelling, or you expect a film worthy of its source. This is not it. The Coen Brothers did it better with a fraction of the budget and a tenth of the self importance.

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