07/31/2026
Christopher Nolan continues his incredible run with The Odyssey, proving once again that he can take on virtually any genre and make it feel like an event. This is exactly what you'd expect from a Nolan film: grand, ambitious, and operating on a scale that very few directors can pull off. Every set piece feels massive, and the commitment to practical effects makes the world of The Odyssey feel tangible in a way that CGI-heavy blockbusters rarely achieve.
The performances are excellent across the board. Matt Damon delivers a commanding performance as Odysseus, while Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway bring plenty of emotional weight to the story. There are also a few standout supporting performances, especially Lupita Nyong'o, who makes a lasting impression despite having less screen time than I would have liked. She was one of several characters who left me wishing we got to spend more time with them.
Despite running close to three hours, the pacing is fantastic. The movie never feels bloated or sluggish, constantly moving from one incredible sequence to the next while keeping the emotional journey front and center. Nolan is going around like Thanos collecting Infinity Stones, proving he can master every genre he touches.
That said, the film does leave a few things to be desired. Some of the most important moments from Homer's epic are either condensed or omitted entirely. While I would have loved to see more of those iconic episodes, it's hard to fault the film too much. To faithfully adapt The Odyssey in its entirety would require far more than a three-hour runtime.
Overall, The Odyssey is a spectacular cinematic experience and one of the year's must-see films. This is the kind of movie that reminds you why theaters exist. If you have the chance, see it in IMAX. It's absolutely the way this film was meant to be experienced. #
