LONDON (GNP): The Odyssey, the latest film from Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan, has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics ahead of its UK release on Friday, with several publications calling it among the finest films of the year.
The film, adapted from Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, marks Nolan’s first project since 2023’s Oppenheimer, which won the Academy Award for best picture. The Telegraph named it its film of the year, while the Standard praised it as a colossal piece of cinema. The Times went further, calling it a masterpiece, and Metro’s review suggested the film would change cinema forever.
The Odyssey stars Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong’o. It follows Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca played by Damon, on his long and perilous journey home from the Trojan War to reunite with his wife Penelope (Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Holland).
Along the way, Odysseus encounters a series of mythical beings, while the film’s antagonist, Antinous, sets his sights on the queen in her husband’s absence.
Variety’s Guy Lodge described the nearly three-hour film as ambitious and gutsy, noting that it repeatedly delivers setpieces that would stand as the highlight of most other summer blockbusters. The Standard’s Nick Howells said its set pieces were staggering and argued the film was a more astonishing experience than Oppenheimer. Metro’s Tori Brazier, awarding five stars, called it a watershed moment for filmmaking and said it managed to feel distinctly Nolan-esque while being unlike anything he has made before.
Not every review was without reservation. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney described the film as somewhat uneven overall, though he praised the ensemble cast, singling out Damon’s willingness to explore darker territory than in his previous roles, Hathaway’s portrayal of steely composure masking vulnerability, and Pattinson’s enthusiastic embrace of his character’s villainy. Deadline’s Gregory Nussen highlighted Holland’s performance as Telemachus as carrying a newfound maturity and called it the actor’s strongest work to date.
Some critics raised concerns about audio clarity, a recurring issue in Nolan’s films due to his preference for on-set sound recording over post-production dubbing. The Financial Times’s Danny Leigh also expressed some reservations about the film’s use of contemporary-sounding dialogue, though he acknowledged the film’s momentum ultimately carried the story forward and affirmed Nolan’s skill as an action director.
Other reviewers were more consistently enthusiastic. The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey said the film carried Nolan’s unmistakable stamp while remaining fully committed to its source material. The LA Times’s Amy Nicholson called the film epically satisfying, though she noted it softened some of the more morally complex and self-interested aspects of Odysseus’s character found in the original text.
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The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw awarded five stars, praising the film’s ambition, boldness and flair, while Empire’s John Nugent, also awarding five stars, described its scale as difficult for modern filmmakers to conceive or execute. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin called it Nolan’s most fearsome and trailblazing work yet, and among the best films of the year so far.
The Odyssey was shot entirely on IMAX cameras and carries a reported budget of $250 million. It had its world premiere in London’s Leicester Square earlier this month, with the film’s ensemble cast in attendance. Universal Studios will be looking for the film to perform strongly at the box office, following Oppenheimer’s worldwide gross of $975 million, though that film benefited from the viral Barbenheimer phenomenon of 2023.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
