THE ODYSSEY Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, John Leguizamo, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Benny Safdie, Bill Irwin, Corey Hawkins, Iddo Goldberg, Ryan Hurst, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy Gonzales, Andrew Howard, Jovan Adepo, Jesse Garcia, Josh Stewart, Sean Avery, Anthony Molinari, Stephen Murphy, Ian Casselberry, Travis Scott, James Remar.
Christopher Nolan gives Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, one of the oldest examples of literature, a suitably epic treatment in this film which was shot in the IMAX format. There have been many films and tv shows inspired by Homer’s heroic epic, but Nolan’s sweeping take is certainly one of the most ambitious. It is also, according to IMDB, the most anticipated movie of 2026.
The film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithica, as he attempts to return home after the Trojan war. But he and his loyal crew encounter many challenges and obstacles, most of which are drawn from Greek mythology during their journey.
There is a darkly surreal encounter with the witch Circe (Samantha Morton), who transforms his men into pigs, which offers up some body horror; they have to pass through a dangerous waterway between the treacherous whirlpool known as Chaybdis and a huge multi-headed, man-eating sea creature known as Scylla; they visit a bleak world where the dead can communicate with the living; the gargantuan cyclops Polyphemus; there is a tribe of giant cannibals; and they have to pass through a strait protected by the alluring song of the sirens which drives men to madness.
Meanwhile back in Ithica Odysseus’ wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) is trying to hold the crumbling kingdom together while she awaits his return. Penelope and Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland) refuse to believe that he is dead. But they have to fend off a number of suitors who try to win Penelope’s hand in marriage and claim the throne. They have taken up residence in the palace and have ruined its grandeur with their lascivious ways, abusing Zeus’ rule about offering hospitality to guests and strangers alike. Amongst them is the craven and conniving Antinous (Robert Pattinson).
Last year we saw The Return with Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus, who made his long overdue return to Ithica to reclaim his throne. The climax of Nolan’s film also explores some of the same territory, but in Nolan’s hands this sequence is much more intense and bloody.
Fittingly, given the source material, The Odyssey runs for a massive 172 minutes. Some of its early sequences are a little clunky and awkward, but once the film hits its stride and picks up momentum it is quite the spectacle. While the film is reasonably faithful to Homer’s poem, Nolan has taken several liberties with the material for dramatic purposes. The set pieces, including the sacking of Troy, are truly superb and directed with muscular authority. The special effects that create the various monsters and creatures that Odysseus and his crew encounter are superb, and the influence of visual effects artist Ray Harryhausen is obvious.
The film has been shot on a variety of locations in Iceland, Italy and Morocco by regular cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and they give the material its harsh look. However, his propensity to shoot in closeup at times becomes a little confronting, especially with the giant IMAX screen. The score from regular composer Ludwig Goransson is also evocative.
Nolan has assembled a solid ensemble cast to bring the story to life. Damon acquits himself well in the physically demanding role of the heroic Odysseus, but he also has a brooding quality as he is consumed by a sense of guilt. Hathaway brings strength to her role as Penelope. Holland is solid as the naïve Telemachus and he suffuses his character with a vulnerability. John Leguizamo is almost unrecognisable as Eumaeus, Telemachus’s blind mentor and wise swineherd who is underestimated by those around him. Pattinson has been trying to overcome his role in the popular but bland YA Twilight series by choosing to work with some interesting directors (Benny Safdie, Jong Boon Ho, etc) and tackling challenging roles, and he is effective as the slimy and craven villain of the piece.
Charlize Theron has little to do as the nymph Calypso, who nurses Odysseus back to health on the island of Ogygia. Zendaya does what she can with a small role as Athena, the goddess who also protects Odysseus on his journey. Lupita Nyong’o however is controversially miscast in a brief, dual role as Helen of Troy and her vengeful sister Clytemnestra.
The Odyssey is another ambitious epic from Nolan, who has created an impressive body of work in a quarter of a century of filmmaking.
★★★★
