Cinema: Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ August 2026
This summer's big movie is Christopher Nolan's THE ODYSSEY. A director who doesn't cut corners or time, Nolan is known for works like OPPENHEIMER, from a few summers ago, and INCEPTION. THE ODYSSEY did not arrive without the usual Nolan hype, both good and bad.
Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY : A Film Review
The story of THE ODYSSEY is timeless. Composed over centuries, it is a non-linear narrative that has kept academics and experts unravelling the layers, it has nevertheless held great appeal to classicists and general readers worldwide. Simplistically put, it's the journey of Odysseus as he returns home after the Trojan War. Along the way he is impeded by witches and monsters and giants, deadly whirlpools and enticing songs. When he finally makes it home to his wife Penelope, he must infiltrate his own home disguised as a beggar. I studied THE ODYSSEY for my undergraduate degree, and I have fond memories of listening to a droll lecturer go on about Odysseus the hero, a man riddled with complexities. It fascinated me, as did so much of Greek tragedy. His journey has a universal appeal: it's the hero's or heroine's quest, at the end of which we find them changed.
‘Nolan has brought the epic scale of the journey to the screen in a bold, imaginative way.’
The film is expansive, the soundtrack thrilling, and the special effects, including the one-eyed Cyclops, Polyphemus and the gigantic Trojan horse, quite compelling to watch. Matt Damon is a dark, brooding Odysseus, maybe not as complex as the character was written but nevertheless shown to be troubled by conscience, wily and cunning despite it, getting his way sometimes for the best, but not always. As a film, my expectations were not of the book, how could they be. They are both different mediums and besides THE ODYSSEY is a translation in the first place, so there is never really one single interpretation. I did not expect it would be possible to translate the book perfectly onto the screen. There is a great deal to consider before adapting something so complex. Nolan's decision to leave out the gods, for example, has drawn criticism, but I personally think that in doing so he has brought the epic scale of the journey to the screen in a bold, imaginative way. Perhaps along the way he has sacrificed a few nuances of character, a smattering of manipulative Gods, but to me this was ambitious and entertaining, and had me swooning over Odysseus once again, just as I did when I first read the book as an undergraduate. Great summer movie.
The Odyssey is running at all major cinemas during August 2026