Review by Jon Donnis
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey arrives with the kind of expectations that surround any adaptation of one of the greatest works of ancient literature. Homer’s epic has survived for thousands of years because its themes of war, loyalty, family, pride and the struggle against impossible odds remain powerful. Unfortunately, this cinematic version takes one of history’s most important Greek stories and turns it into a hollow, woke, modernised spectacle that appears to have little understanding of what made the original so important.
The biggest issue with The Odyssey is that it feels like Christopher Nolan never seriously engaged with Homer’s original source material. This does not feel like a film made by someone who studied the text, understood the culture surrounding it and wanted to bring an ancient masterpiece to life. Instead, it feels like a loose interpretation built around a recognisable title, with the heart, identity and historical importance of the original epic stripped away. For a story that has influenced literature for thousands of years, this version shows a shocking lack of respect for the foundations it is built upon.
The casting is one of the most controversial and distracting elements of the entire production. For a film based on one of the defining works of Greek civilisation, the complete absence of Greek actors in the main cast feels like a staggeringly racist creative decision. The film appears more interested in modern Hollywood trends than respecting the cultural and historical origins of the story. For viewers who value Greek history, mythology and cultural authenticity, this approach feels completely disconnected from the world Homer created.
The casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy is one of the film’s biggest failures. Helen is one of the most famous figures in Greek mythology, traditionally remembered as a woman whose beauty was said to have launched a thousand ships. Unfortunately, Nyong’o’s performance never captures the presence, elegance or mythical quality expected from such an iconic character. The performance feels lifeless, with dialogue delivered without the emotional depth or majesty required for a figure of such importance.
The modern dialogue is another major weakness. Rather than creating a believable ancient world, the script sounds like contemporary conversations placed into a historical setting. The language lacks authenticity and frequently destroys the atmosphere of scenes that should feel legendary. Instead of transporting audiences to the age of heroes, gods and monsters, the screenplay often feels like it was written without any real understanding of the period.
Not a single Greek word is spoken in the entire film. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect the film to be in Greek, but at least the odd word here or there would have been something.
The opening sequence immediately demonstrates the film’s problems. Having Travis Scott introduce the story of Odysseus and the Trojan War through poetic verse is an incredibly strange creative decision. Rather than creating a powerful introduction to one of humanity’s greatest myths, it feels more like a parody or a sketch from Saturday Night Live. It is one of the weakest openings to a major film in recent memory and immediately establishes the lack of seriousness that damages the entire production.
The rest of the cast cannot overcome the problems created by the script and direction. Matt Damon brings his usual professionalism to Odysseus, but even a talented actor cannot fully rescue a character that feels disconnected from the legendary Greek hero. Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya all bring star power, but the film often feels more focused on assembling famous names than creating convincing portrayals of figures from ancient mythology.
There are some positives. The scale of The Odyssey is undeniably impressive. The enormous budget is visible throughout, with huge sets, dramatic battles and extensive CGI creating moments of genuine spectacle. The encounters with Polyphemus, the journey through the underworld, the dangers of the sea and the mythical creatures all demonstrate the technical resources behind the production. There are scenes where the film looks exactly like the kind of massive fantasy adventure audiences would expect from a director of Nolan’s reputation.
I refuse to even talk about this
However, visual spectacle cannot compensate for a film that fails to understand its own foundation. The Odyssey should be a celebration of Greek mythology, but instead it feels like a modern Hollywood production using Homer’s story as a framework rather than respecting it as one of the greatest achievements of ancient civilisation.
The biggest disappointment is that this was a chance to introduce a new generation to an extraordinary piece of literature. Instead, the film appears to misunderstand the very thing it is adapting. The characters, the culture and the mythology are treated as background elements rather than the reason the story has endured for centuries.
For anyone familiar with Homer’s original epic, the problems are impossible to ignore. The film feels less like a faithful adaptation and more like a reworking that has removed much of what made The Odyssey meaningful in the first place. It is difficult to believe that a project of this scale could arrive with such little connection to the source material.
A woman whose beauty was said to have launched a thousand ships
When news first emerged of a major cinematic adaptation of The Odyssey, expectations were extremely high. This is a story that deserved passion, research and genuine respect. Instead, Christopher Nolan has delivered a film that feels disconnected from its origins, lacking the authenticity and understanding required to handle such an important work.
The Odyssey is one of the most disappointing films of the year. It is a visually expensive production that fails where it matters most. It suffers from poor creative choices, weak dialogue, questionable casting decisions and a fundamental failure to capture the spirit of Homer’s epic. This film was clearly made with the Academy Awards firmly in mind and their DEI requirements, (Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry), basically every film has to have a bunch of ridiculous woke castings to even be considered for the best picture award, and sadly the cowardly Nolan just ticked off every box he could.
I will never watch this film again, and I hope it quickly disappears rather than becoming the definitive cinematic version of this legendary story.
Score: I refused to honour this film with a rating, or share its trailer.
