Nolan at the Movies: The Odyssey - A Stunning, But Emotionally Dull, Voyage

By Nolan Cleary

In Christoper Nolan’s latest adaption of The Odyssey, there is a scene where the character Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, uses her Island to distort time, allowing the film’s protagonist, Odysseus to stay without realizing he has been trapped there for years.

This moment serves as the perfect analogy for the strengths and weaknesses of the latest film adaption of Homer’s classic. 

The plot of the 2026 adaption of The Odyssey doesn’t stray too far from its source material, following the hero Odysseus, this time portrayed by Matt Damon, as he ventures on a journey of many years to return home to his family, while overcoming trials and mystical adventures.

Meanwhile, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, played by Academy Award winner Ann Hathaway, and son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland (of Spider-Man fame) must determine how best to manage the Kingdom of Ithaca in his absence. 

Fans of Christopher Nolan’s previous work - of which I consider myself one - are sure to appreciate the usual razzle dazzle of his directorial style.

Ruth De Jong’s production design brilliantly reimagines Homer’s vision, reanimating the original tale in grand fashion. Visually, The Odyssey is stunning, capturing the beauty and immensity of Troy. 

Damon, Holland, and Hathaway each give strong performances, perfectly emoting the internal struggles of their characters.

Robert Pattinson, who portrays the villainous Antinous, is in like manner delightfully malicious in his role, capturing the callous joy of an antagonist deprived of any discernible scruples. 

Yet, audiences who search beyond the smoke and mirrors will find Nolan’s usual cinematic charms act to be something of a Trojan Horse, detracting from an emotionally weightless script. 

Unlike many of his previous endeavors, The Odyssey lacks the inspiration of past projects, such as The Dark Knight and Dunkirk, which successfully captured the hopeful ingenuity of the human spirit. 

The Odyssey on the other hand feels too lost in its source material, causing the story’s moral foundation to get caught with its tail between its legs. 

Still, for what it’s worth, The Odyssey overall evokes the memory of Hollywood epics like Lawrence of Arabia and Ben-Hur, reinventing the beloved text in ways that look and feel larger than life, even if its efforts are too tempered to live up to its colossal ambitions.