Christopher Nolan’s latest cinematic experiment arrives this Friday. The Odyssey brings Homer’s ancient epic to life with a massive cast. This gigantic undertaking marks a significant technical milestone for the director, who continues his passionate love affair with the Premium Large Format moviegoing experience. The release is notable as the first feature shot entirely with IMAX film cameras. The runtime runs 2 hours and 52 minutes. It is rated R. The result is described as a meditative action movie that aims to be both immense and intimate, offering a visual scale that few modern blockbusters attempt. Given the foundational influence of the text on modern Western storytelling, the film attempts to fill a void, as there has never been an indisputably great screen version of Homer’s work. Audiences hungry for the kind of brawny all-star spectacle now largely confined to sci-fi and comic book tentpoles should find this bold retelling appealing.
Matt Damon leads the film as Odysseus, playing the role with what the review describes as "introspective intensity." He is joined by a sprawling ensemble including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron. Nolan, who also penned the adaptation, navigates the challenge of dramatizing Odysseus’s internal transformation from a hubristic warrior to a man humbled by trauma and loss. This character arc serves as the film's most continuous plotline amidst a disjointed structure. The poem built the template for the Hero’s Journey, shaping literature’s approach to character, adventure and conflict in a narrative that encompasses mortals, gods and monsters, history and mythology, tests and triumphs. Nolan gets closer than some to capturing this spirit, though it is hard to effectively dramatize someone piecing together memory fragments on a gradual path to moral, spiritual and existential awakening.
The story spans a 10-year period of disjointed adventures, starting in medias res and folding in flashbacks. While the action sequences are described as muscular filmmaking that freely folds in elements from Homer’s preceding epic, The Iliad, the narrative flow faces challenges. The review notes that the inherently episodic nature of the nonlinear source material can impede the pacing. Specific scenes on an island beach with the nymph Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, are highlighted as interludes that stop the narrative dead. In these moments, Calypso keeps Odysseus as her lover, feeding him lotus petals to ease his pain and prevent him from remembering the loyal men he lost. The production scale involved cramming 20 actors inside a Trojan Horse to shoot a pivotal scene, while the editing process even involved cutting a 3,000-year-old joke. Despite these structural hurdles, the film attempts to provide an accessible experience even when the plot requires untangling, standing as a bold retelling for audiences hungry for a brawny all-star spectacle.
Frequently asked questions
When does Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey release?
The Odyssey arrives in cinemas this Friday with a runtime of 2 hours and 52 minutes.
How long is The Odyssey movie?
The film runs for 2 hours and 52 minutes, making it nearly three hours in length.
Is The Odyssey shot in IMAX?
Yes, The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Who stars in The Odyssey?
Matt Damon leads as Odysseus, joined by Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Charlize Theron.
Does The Odyssey follow a linear story?
The film uses a nonlinear structure with disjointed adventures, starting in medias res and incorporating flashbacks.
