The Odyssey (2026)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
[Rated R] 2hr 52min
Action/Adventure, Fantasy
★★★★
“Your men don’t want you to defy the gods. But the gods say only you make it home.”
“Then I defy the gods.”
After defeating the city of Troy and ending a 10 year war, it takes Odysseus and his men many more years to return home as they encounter numerous deadly creatures and trials throughout their voyage. Meanwhile in Ithaca, his wife Penelope continues to stand her ground against rowdy suitors who have occupied their home while Odysseus was away, and his son Telemachus searches for answers to find out if Odysseus is still alive and if so, where he’s been all this time.
This is a fantastic modern adaptation of the classic epic poem that uniquely emphasizes the self-reflection that Odysseus has on his actions as a warrior and leader. Although it starts out pretty rough with very uneven editing that quickly jumps around between various locations and points in time, it eventually becomes more coherent and never loses any momentum once it reaches that point. The atmosphere only continues to ramp up in intensity as the film goes on, and the climax is absolutely spectacular. On top of that, the pacing is so good that there’s never a dull moment, and it doesn’t feel like the runtime is anywhere near 3 hours long. The acting is great all around, and John Leguizamo in particular is a surprising standout among this phenomenal cast. The film also excels at a technical level where many aspects such as the cinematography, production design, costume design, and score contribute to making the experience as epic as possible. However, the biggest weakness of this film is it’s lack of emotional resonance, which tends to be an unfortunate trend in Christopher Nolan’s film. The story immediately dives into the main plot from the very beginning and doesn’t take the time to develop any emotional connections with the characters, so the narrative ends up feeling like it’s missing a major core component. Despite this, the other elements are still able to provide an excellent overall experience that makes this film the essential blockbuster of the summer.
I recommend The Odyssey to anyone who enjoys fantasy epics, action/adventure movies, or other Christopher Nolan films. It’s very approachable to everyone, including people who aren’t familiar with the original story, as it offers a more streamlined version of the narrative that’s constantly engaging and exciting. Since this is the first ever movie filmed entirely on 70mm IMAX cameras, it’s definitely worth seeing on the biggest screen possible.
The Odyssey is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Official Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper