Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is the Cinematic Epic You've Been Waiting For

[the following review contains spoilers for a 3,000 year old story]

2026 has been a banner year for high-profile releases. Toy Story 5, Disclosure Day, and Supergirl all have come and gone and it's only July! But no matter who you are, there's no denying that the most-anticipated film this year was none other than Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. So much so that tickets started going on sale a full calendar year ago, and sold out soon after! This weekend, after over a year of waiting, the biggest cinematic event of 2026 has finally sailed into theaters. But is The Odyssey good enough to justify the unprecedented hype and is it a worthy adaptation of the greatest epic ever told?

Written in the 8th Century BC, Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey follows The King of Ithaca, Odysseus on his twenty year journey home from the Trojan War, encountering countless perils and mythical beasts. Meanwhile, a battle for his throne has taken place in Ithaca with the usurpers convinced that Odysseus is dead. But not only is he alive, he is determined to make it back home.

The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan's first film since 2023's Oppenheimer, and after winning Best Picture, expectations for his follow-up were understandably high. Refusing to play it safe, Nolan and company set out to adapt Homer's magnum-opus, The Odyssey for the big screen. An iconic myth, a staple in high school English classes, and the original Hero's Journey, it was clear this next film would be Nolan's most ambitious yet. The crew consists of Nolan's frequent collaborators Hoyte van Hoytema (cinematographer), Ludwig Góransson (composer), Jennifer Lame (editor) and his wife, Emma Thomas as producer. This was the crew that turned Oppenheimer into a seven time Oscar-winning film, only time will tell if they can replicate that magic a second time.

Not only is The Odyssey the most anticipated film of the year, it is also the most star-studded, with a cast consisting of exclusively A-listers. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, and that's not even mentioning the supporting cast of John Bernthal, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie and more. It is Nolan's first film to be shot entirely on IMAX 70mm cameras. With a cast sheet like that and a budget of $250 million, it's no wonder audience expectations were through the roof. But is it actually good or was it just expensive?

The Odyssey drops you right in the middle of the story, so in order to get the best experience possible, you need to have at least a cursory understanding of the source material. As someone who can only vaguely recall details from reading it in 9th grade, that worked just fine. If you go in fully blind you're bound to get confused by the scattered timelines and myriad of similarly named characters.

While I enjoyed Oppenheimer a decent amount, I would not consider myself a diehard Christopher Nolan fan. So while I was expecting a lot, I did not walk in believing this would be the best film of all time solely because of who helmed it. That being said, I left my screening at a genuine loss for words... and a desire to see the film at least three more times. As someone who reviews films for a living and has seen over 4,000, I still feel confident in saying that The Odyssey is one of the most well-made films ever shot. Expectations could not possibly have been higher but somehow the entire cast and crew blew them out of the water. The Odyssey is the kind of film that will make your kids think you're cool when you tell them you saw it in theaters one day. It will go down in history as one of the most singular cinematic experiences of all time.

In the truest sense of the word "epic," Nolan and company were able to create an incredible sense of scale in this film. Giant cities, oceans separating islands, audiences are able to grasp just how far Odysseus is from home. The action sequences are absolutely masterful, especially those that take place on the water. But that was all expected, what I didn't expect was just how terrifying this film can be at times and that is due to Nolan's stylistic approach to make this adaptation as realistic and immersive as possible. Before The Odyssey even had a trailer, all I could think of was "I can't wait to see how they do Polyphemus, the Cyclops" but nothing could've prepared me for how they brought this monster to life. Instead of being a cartoonish beast like most of us pictured when they read the poem in high school, Nolan's Polyphemus is an uncanny mix of human and monster, similar to a giant Gollum. Using a 60ft practical puppet, there is a palpable sense of terror whenever he is on screen, I could've watched an entire movie set in that cave. A common complaint already emerging about this film is that they cut the part where Polyphemus asks who blinded him and Odysseus shouts "nobody!" Which is baffling considering that they take the time to establish that the monster can talk yet don't utilize it for this iconic moment.

After the spine-chilling scene in Polyphemus' cave, I thought for certain that the scariest parts of the film were over, but I was wrong. In a famous later scene, Odysseus' remaining men are turned into pigs by the witch, Circe, and nothing could've prepared me for how horrifying that scene would be. It's done in a way that is so realistic it left my jaw on the floor. Nolan and company were able to create such effective horror throughout The Odyssey thanks to the editing style of Jennifer Lame. Focusing on quick shots that show just enough for the audience to understand what's going on while leaving the exact details obscured. Put briefly, The Odyssey is so terrifying because of how much it leaves up to the imagination, like how the original Greek myths were told.

Normally a film whose cast consists of solely A-listers is a major red flag (ex. Don't Look Up) but thankfully that wasn't an issue this time around. There are no "bad" performances in The Odyssey but some are definitely stronger than others. On the weaker end, Tom Holland as Telemachus didn't particularly stand out and Travis Scott's cameo felt out of place. Some parts like Athena or Calypso felt like they could've been played by anyone, they didn't need to spend the budget on Zendaya and Charlize Theron. That being said, they give decent performances. On the polar opposite end, some cast members give genuine Oscar-worthy performances. Matt Damon is a solid lead, but the crown jewel performance of the film is Anne Hathaway as Penelope. Penelope is the heart and soul of The Odyssey, the loyal wife who has waited two decades for her husband to come home, refusing to give up his throne. If the rules were different she would reign over Ithaca. Her frustration and heartache are so evident and the makeup used to age Hathaway is as subtle as it is effective. Unexpected standouts were Samatha Morton as Circe and Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, both giving stellar performances. Lupita Nyong'o has about two minutes of screen time as Helen and Clytemnestra but the intensity she brings to both these minor roles is fierce and at times, downright petrifying. In the biggest surprise of the year, Benny Safdie plays a truly foreboding Agamemnon. Absolutely nobody would've thought to cast Safdie in that role, but he is intimidating, mysterious, and unrecognizable. Right now the main conversation people are having about this film is how Benny Safdie is using his four minutes of screentime to brutally "aura-farm."

Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema delivers some great work in The Odyssey, especially when paired with the downright masterful lighting design and editing. However, I would hold off from calling it his best. This film has a very distinct look, often shots are stylistically shot out of focus but they can sometimes come off as unintentional and amateur. It's reminiscent of the lens flares in James Gunn's Superman that people had a problem with. While the cinematography is solid, the real flowers belong to the set decorators and production designer, Ruth De Jong who made ancient Greece come to life in a way never seen before. Ellen Mirojnick's costume design is truly something to behold. From the armor of the Trojan guards to Penelope's beautiful draping gowns, she understands each character so intimately and it would be a genuine surprise if she doesn't take home the Oscar this winter.

Over the past few years, Swedish composer, Ludwig Göransson has been cementing himself as the successor to John Williams for the world's preeminent film scorer. From his work in Oppenheimer to Sinners to now, The Odyssey, his music only keeps getting better and better. This time around, Göransson goes for a more subtle approach to scoring, with repetitive pulsing beats instead of grand orchestral arrangements. The Odyssey is a film that relies heavily on suspense and these scenes would not be nearly as effective if not for Göransson's score.

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey not only brought the scale, monumentality, and stakes of Homer's poem to life but also the giant amount of heart that is too often overlooked. It is Nolan's most emotionally resonant film since Interstellar. There were several moments in the third act that made my theater burst out into applause that I couldn't help but join. I am by no means a Nolan superfan, but after this project I can understand those who are. Point blank, The Odyssey is one of the best films ever made.

This weekend, finding a ticket for The Odyssey is like finding a needle in a haystack but I implore you to see it. Travel hours away, go to a screening at 3:00AM if you have to, just make sure you see The Odyssey on the biggest screen possible!