‘The Odyssey’ Is Already A Critical Hit - But One Opinion May Matter Even More
When it was announced that Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan's next film would be an adaptation of The Odyssey (2026), it almost felt like a no-brainer. Well, of course that'd be his next film. As one of the most visionary filmmakers of our time, the epic feels tailor-made for him and his particular talents. Sure, it might not be perfect and die-hard fans of Homer's text might have their qualms, but there was no denying even then that it'd be a hit.
And with early critical reception largely in favor of the adaptation, we're in for an unforgettable gift. Interestingly, Universal Pictures also announced that they only wanted critics at early screenings and not influencers to get an accurate reaction, which makes this outcome that much more compelling. This issue of critics versus influencers is one we talk about frequently, with many people outside of the industry not understanding that our reviews cannot be bought, but that they're our honest opinions. (And sometimes, funded by our own money because we couldn't get a screening invite.)
Alongside that, British historian, coincidentally also named Tom Holland, has given his seal of approval, which brought backlash from Elon Musk on X, formerly Twitter. With these favorable opinions stirring the early conversations before the film's wide release, it's clear we're in for something tremendous.
Critics Are Raving About 'The Odyssey'
As critics, we don't always come to a unanimous decision about TV or movies. Our tastes can be so vastly diverse that even among friends there can be wildly dissimilar opinions. However, right from the jump, there are so many great reviews that it's challenging even to narrow them down.
Collider's Perri Nemiroff hails The Odyssey as a "filmmaking feast. A grand and gripping rendition of Homer's epic, and one that feels uniquely Christopher Nolan." Clayton Davis from Variety says, "Matt Damon leads with grit, while Tom Holland brings the sensitivity and heart." If these are the early reviews from critics who've seen the film, I can't wait to see what audience members will say. I also can't wait to watch it myself because it's been my most anticipated movie since the announcement, and I've already got those 70mm IMAX tickets purchased.
Ultimately, while there will surely be people who don't like the film for various reasons pertaining to their own taste, if there's one thing we can be sure of, it's the detail that Christopher Nolan will honor the heart of the text. His means of adapting stories and allowing humanity to shine through is one of his strengths as a director, and with a text as notable as The Odyssey, there's no better director to bring out the most relatable and simultaneously complex parts of the characterizations.
British Historian Tom Holland Gives His Approval
If you don't trust critics, then trust British historian Tom Holland, whose opinion of the film seems to be irritating people like Elon Musk. Musk has been publicly sending messages to Holland and deeming him a "cuck," and if that's not an indication that the film is going to be an epic people will talk about for years to come, then I don't know what is. It's certainly a choice to insult a historian who's been studying the topic longer than any of us, and if he's giving his seal of approval, then personally, I'm trusting the historian.
Tom Holland essentially called the film, "The best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen," and those are big words coming from someone with his credentials. In addition, we know that Nolan's version is adapted from Emily Wilson's translation, and that, in and of itself, came with immense criticism in the early days. In an interview with Vulture, Wilson states, "There's a lot of anxiety about gender, race, and whiteness tied to the discourse about greatness. I don't think any of that has anything to do with me, but somehow people have latched on to this. I think it's because the coverage of my translation, when it came out in 2017, had the word woman in the headline. People get threatened by that."
There's much to be said about internet culture today and how the immediate reaction to anything that seems refreshing in any capacity is to target it as "woke." And that's exactly what seems to be happening with The Odyssey and people who are opposing the film before they even see it.
In the same interview, Wilson also makes a clear point about understanding the importance of translations and what that equates to from one language to another. "Any kind of text is going to have several elements to it, including the sound of the style, the semantic meaning of the language, and, in the case of a poem like The Odyssey, the meter." This logic can also be applied to the intricacies of adapting text to a different medium like the big screen. It's in the art of understanding a property intimately where the adaptation shines, no matter how it might divert from the source material, and that's exactly what tends to make it one that's either revered or criticized.
Because there should be differences. They should not be carbon copies of one another. They wouldn't be adaptations if there were. And clearly, historians and critics are in favor of how Nolan is adapting the story. When we take all of this into consideration, the movie is sure to be a winner in more ways than one this year.
