To enjoy this film properly, you need to disembark from the hype train. As soon as people hear the name Christopher Nolan, expectations explode into the stratosphere. Homer’s “The Odyssey” has been told and retold several times over, and quite frankly, nobody asked for this. With that being said, Nolan’s The Odyssey is why people go to the movies: great acting, amazing sound, and visuals that can be described as nothing less than mesmerizing.
Homer’s The Odyssey follows the Greek hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his grueling ten-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Presumed dead, his palace is overrun by unruly suitors vying for his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway). Through hardship, struggle, and a sprinkle of divine assistance, Odysseus makes the trek home, not knowing what awaits his arrival.
I’ll start by getting the two things that bothered me out of the way. Firstly, the cast reads as a “who’s who” of A-list celebrities, which is fine. There’s nothing wrong with a star-studded cast. The issue was with how they were introduced and the decision to identify so many in the film’s opening. Notable cast members include Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and many others. Like the opening for a television sitcom, the camera panned to each character played by an A-lister in the opening minutes. It seems minor, but it felt staged and performative, throwing off the mood in the early minutes. The other thing that bothered me was the wave of hype behind the film. In fairness, that’s not Nolan’s fault. That’s the fault of critics with a wider reach and media outlets. Ultimately, it’s best to ignore both.
Once you get past the idea that the film will change your life and the stars shoved in your face to start, you can finally enjoy the movie. The only issue with a cast of this magnitude is that somebody is bound to fall short. Charlize Theron and Tom Holland could’ve been substituted with C-list actors, and the performance wouldn’t have been any different. On the other hand, John Leguizamo played a minor character named Eumaeus and knocked his performance out of the park. So, because there were so many top-tier actors involved, the groundbreaking performance could’ve come from anyone. Samantha Morton was an actress who had limited screentime but made it count. Matt Damon was brilliant, Anne Hathaway was stellar, and Jon Bernthal has been on an incredible run. So no matter what the differing thoughts might be on the film, at the very least, people can agree that it entertains.
After cementing his name in greatness with Oppenheimer and Sinners, it made sense for Ludwig Göransson to be the composer. The Oscar winner is known for his genre-blending film and television scores. Here, he was successfully tasked with invoking emotions during separation, reconnection, and dramatic encounters. To put it plainly, the score was awesome.
The film is set to be wildly successful at the box office, and while that’s good for the studio, there’s something far more important for fans. The more popular this film becomes, the greater the chance you’ll see it reflected in cosplay. One particular character that I can’t wait for people to see is Agamemnon (Benny Safdie). You’ll know he’s the man in charge by how his helmet differs from the rest. I’m shocked they didn’t use a mock-up as merchandise because I definitely would shell out $50 for that helmet to hold my popcorn.
The film is wildly entertaining, and the acting is superb. Did we need another adaptation? No. But audiences will get a complete movie that has love, laughter, and a fair bit of drama. From sirens to cyclops, Nolan does a good job of inserting the most important pieces of Homer’s writing to make this feel authentic. Even though loading that much authenticity came at a cost (the runtime is within arm’s reach of 3 hours), the film runs so smoothly that it’ll be hard to notice.
The Odyssey gets a 9 out of 10. It’s not going to change your life or convince you that Nolan is the greatest director on Earth, but it will entertain and definitely earn its cost of admission. The film is rated-R for violence and language.
The Odyssey premieres in theaters on July 17.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Universal Pictures
Genre: Adventure/Drama/Fantasy
Rating: R
Runtime: 2 hrs 52 mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: July 17, 2026