The Odyssey (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review)

The Odyssey

THE ODYSSEY (2026)

Starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Himesh Patel, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Travis Scott, Elliot Page, James Remar, Jesse Garcia, Shiloh Fernandez, Ryan Hurst and Jovan Adepo.

Screenplay by Christopher Nolan.

Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Distributed by Universal Pictures. 172 minutes. Rated R.

A three-hour adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey may sound, to many viewers, like the cinematic equivalent of homework. Add to that the fact that it’s directed by Christopher Nolan – a brilliant filmmaker, though rarely one known for a light touch – and you can see why the film might feel intimidating. So there may be some rough terrain ahead for the viewer. Yet, The Odyssey is being sold as a potential summer blockbuster.

I read The Odyssey in a comparative literature class in college, and I remember it being a dense, demanding text. For all of these reasons, I have to admit I went into the screening of the film with fairly tempered expectations.

Which is why I’m surprised and delighted to say that The Odyssey was much better than I ever imagined it would be. It is grand, old-fashioned epic filmmaking – David Lean meets Ray Harryhausen – and while it takes some odd twists and turns, it is significantly more accessible than I would have imagined.

So, how did Nolan’s labor of love come to be? How did he decide that a nearly 3,000-year-old 24-part epic poem could resonate with modern audiences?

“Coming out of my last movie, Oppenheimer had way more success than I think we had any right to expect,” writer/director Nolan recently said on The Daily Show. “That gives you an opportunity to get something made that you might not otherwise be able to get made…. Because being The Odyssey it needs a massive budget. It needs a massive cast…. You’re asking a lot of the studio. You’re asking a lot of the cast and everybody. It was a very hard movie, but hard for all the right reasons. The Odyssey should be hard.” 

The story and themes of The Odyssey have survived nearly three thousand years for a reason – the desire to find your way home, against all odds, never really goes out of fashion. Despite the violence, magic and monsters, at heart it is a story of love, family, honor, duty to one’s people and sacrifice.

Matt Damon is at his best as Odysseus, the King of Ithaca who has to leave his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and newborn son Telemachus (played as an adult by Tom Holland) behind as he and his men venture to Troy because he had sworn an oath to defend Helen of Troy (Lupita Nyong’o) during the Trojan War.

However, the war and the trip turn out to be much more complicated than Odysseus ever imagined, and he spends the next 20 years trying to return home – losing his ship, his crew and years of his life. As a group of suitors (including the craven Robert Pattinson and Corey Hawkins) hover around Penelope trying to win her hand, Penelope and Telemachus hold on to hope that Odysseus will return home and save their kingdom.

I won’t get too deep into the storyline – partially because it deserves to be experienced fresh, and partially because after all these years most people know at least parts of the narrative. Honestly, I cannot completely say how faithful Nolan is to the original Homer narrative, but there were definitely aspects of the story which I recognized.

Also interesting is that Nolan does not try to make the dialogue feel like ancient text. It is actually fairly modern-feeling, which sometimes can be off-putting on period pieces, but in this particular case it is appreciated. This story is complicated enough that it does not need any additional complication.

Damon anchors the film with a performance that blends weary determination and raw vulnerability. He shows that all of Odysseus’ toils and hardships may not have been worth what he has given up – his home and his family. Hathaway gives Penelope a quiet strength that makes her more than a symbol – she becomes the emotional heartbeat of the story. Holland brings youthful resolve to Telemachus, embodying the years Odysseus has lost. And Pattinson, all swaggering bravado masking craven insecurity, makes for a compellingly human antagonist. Together, they give the film its emotional spine, grounding Nolan’s spectacle in something intimate and deeply felt.

With a cast this large, lesser filmmakers would struggle to give everyone their moment – but Nolan draws confident and intriguing turns from even the smaller roles. Samantha Morton is chilling as the witch Circe. John Leguizamo is charming as Eumaeus, the loyal blind servant. Charlize Theron is empathetic as sea nymph Calypso. Zendaya brings quiet resolve as the goddess Athena.

There has also been a Twitter/X furor about a couple of supporting characters. Lupita Nyong’o is strong in the relatively small role of Helen of Troy – and given that Helen is a mythological figure, the online debate about whether she should be portrayed as Black feels misplaced. Nolan’s decision to work again with trans actor Elliot Page (they previously collaborated on Inception, before Page’s transition) results in one of the film’s most resonant supporting performances.

With the narrative foundation in place, Nolan’s stylistic choices become even more striking. The film is even more impressive because The Odyssey is made with 100% practical effects. There is no CGI here – all of the special effects are done the old-fashioned way. All of the stunts were done by humans, the monsters were realized with mechanical puppets, and the sets and props were all made to scale.

Will it become a summer blockbuster? I’m not sure. It still may be a bit too niche, too long, and too obscure to completely break out. However, Nolan has shown before in his career that he can make confounding concepts (Inception, Interstellar, even Oppenheimer) relatable to mass audiences, so maybe he will do it again. But even if it does not connect with a huge audience, The Odyssey will undoubtedly make many critics’ lists and get lots of award nominations – and rightly so.

Like the poem itself, Nolan’s Odyssey is a long, winding, sometimes punishing journey – but one that ultimately rewards patience. It’s a film built on craft, conviction and heart, anchored by performances that make the myth feel human. Whether it becomes a blockbuster or simply a critical favorite, it’s a work of ambition and soul, and one that proves some stories endure because they still have something to say.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2026 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 16, 2026.