‘The Odyssey’ Review: Christopher Nolan Delivers His Most Impressive Cinematic Achievement

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (See It or Skip It)– Matt Damon stars as Odysseus as he journeys home from the Trojan War. As he spends years encountering all manner of creatures and sirens, Ithaca is being bombarded with suitors looking to lay claim to his home and marry his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway). Meanwhile, Telemachus (Tom Holland) continues to believe his father is still alive and sets out himself to try to find him before Antinous (Robert Pattinson) wins over Penelope. But will he find Odysseus in time to stop it from happening?

This is based on Homer’s Odyssey but told with so much realism. You are completely immersed in this world and not only feel the weight and pressure surrounding the journey Odysseus and his men are on, but are also enveloped in the scale, the magic, and the heart Nolan brings. The magic of practical effects done well is incomparable. In the times we are living in, which are full of AI slop and uncreative people who know how to make a prompt, it is a breath of fresh air to be genuinely floored by how the team behind some of the effects was able to pull them off this effectively.

The first thing that stood out to me when leaving the theater was that this was the closest Christopher Nolan has come to telling an A24 horror story, but on an epic scale. Notable moments include the intense and horrific sound design while Odysseus is escaping the Cyclops, the journey, and visiting Hades, but the one that stands out most clearly is Circe and the men. Samantha Morton is a scene-stealer, delivering a performance that has been compared to Heath Ledger’s Joker, which is not too far from how I felt watching her on screen. Her motives are not clear initially, and the transformation that happens is straight nightmare fuel.

Another milestone for Christopher Nolan is that this is his first film that was shot 100% on IMAX cameras. Something I have always wondered about is why the aspect ratios would switch so often in his previous work and take me out of the story at times. With that distraction gone, you are left with a sense of awe at how this format changes how you watch the movie. To think about these actors having only three minutes per cartridge to emote and act seems like an enormous undertaking, especially if they needed to stay in the moment while the IMAX cameras were reloaded.

One of the strongest parts of the film comes from its score. Ludwig Göransson reteams with Nolan, bringing his signature use of unique instruments and sound. Don’t be surprised when his name gets called up for another Academy Award with this score. When his music pairs with the absolute insanity that is the final act, I don’t think I was even sitting in my chair, just floating in the air in awe of what I was witnessing.

Tom Holland shines as Telemachus with his hopeful optimism and determination to find his father. This is Holland’s most mature performance and likely the best of his career aside from Spider-Man. Matt Damon commands the role of Odysseus, truly feeling like a man lost not only in the world but also in his own mind. Anne Hathaway performs a large majority of her scenes behind an obscured veil, yet conveys so much emotion in them. She and Tom Holland have excellent chemistry, and I completely bought their mother-son dynamic. Zendaya as Athena is sublime, giving what Nolan deemed a “perfect performance.” Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Charlize Theron, and Mia Goth are also all at the top of their game, with moments that make each of their characters stand out in an already stacked lineup of A-listers.

I did not find the modern language in a mythological story to be an issue, as some critics have noted. To me, the authenticity comes from how natural the language is, and I feel it enhanced what maybe could have been more challenging for people to experience. Maybe the middle part of the film could be tuned up more in the edit, but for a three-hour-long movie, it did not feel its runtime. Is it my favorite Christopher Nolan film? No, but it is arguably his most impressive: his crowning achievement, which started when he first decided to utilize the IMAX format, and something that will be studied in film school and by fans of Homer’s work.

Overall, The Odyssey is a stunning cinematic journey that must be seen in a theater on the biggest screen possible. There’s much more to break down in a spoiler discussion, but for now, I’ll end this by saying Christopher Nolan is a once-in-a-lifetime filmmaker and must continue to make these films if Hollywood is to push the boundaries of the theatrical experience.