Film Review – The Odyssey (2026)

      The Odyssey, 2026

      Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan.

      Featuring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Mia Goth, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy Gonzáles, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse García, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Corey Hawkins, Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Anthony Molinari, Jovan Adepo, Logan Marshall-Green, James Remar, Travis Scott, Douglas Rouillard, Jorge Leon, Andrei Lenart, Kamden Riley, Ryan de Quintal, Jarreth J. Merz, Markie Farnsley, Stephen Murphy, Matt Lasky, Adam Croasdell, Jamie Harris, Niko Nicotera, Elyes Gabel, Sean Avery, Andrew Howard, Ian Casselberry, John Ales, Raimy Lang, Mason Cufari, Kate Fuglei, Mickey Shilowich, and Katerina Antemel.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Following the Trojan War, Odysseus embarks on a perilous journey home to Ithaca, encountering mythical beings such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.

      Some films build up to breathtaking moments, while others feature several throughout. Rarely do we see movies like Christopher Nolan’s rendition of Homer’s The Odyssey, where every frame leaves viewers in awe. This is cinema at its most ambitious and captivating. Given Nolan’s remarkable background as an Oscar-winning director, the true astonishment lies in how he intertwines this cherished narrative with familiar themes from his body of work—such as the connections between parents and children, immense sacrifices, suppressed guilt surfacing (this time manifesting literally through the undead), memory loss, long journeys away from home and the impact on families and society, or the repercussions of actions that echo across subsequent generations while shaping an era.

      One of the boldest decisions was casting Travis Scott—famed for his music and a notoriously poor WWE guest stint—who opens the film as a bard passing down tales of Matt Damon’s Odysseus, a strategically astute Greek general responsible for the downfall of Troy during the Trojan War.

      For viewers unfamiliar with the story, the palace in Ithaca, where these narratives unfold, is filled with eager suitors eager to enhance their standing, notably Robert Pattinson's duplicitous villain, Antinous, who plots to marry Queen Penelope (Anne Hathaway, who masterfully portrays a range of emotions as she resists the men while grappling with Ithaca's future), as Odysseus has yet to return home after two decades. The other suitors paint a picture of greed and cruelty, even mistreating Odysseus' elderly dog, who poignantly clings to life to welcome him back.

      Odysseus' absence has allowed his son Telemachus (Tom Holland, who undergoes one of the more satisfying character arcs, ultimately showcasing a passionate side) to mature under the guidance of the noble shepherd Eumaeus (John Leguizamo, delivering a performance rich in wisdom), while questioning the type of man his father was—alive or dead—and whether one can truly know their father.

      This directly introduces Nolan’s hallmark nonlinear storytelling, as Telemachus defies orders to embark on his own voyage to Sparta, meeting King Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) and the beautiful Helen of Troy (Lupita Nyong’o), whose abduction partly incited the Trojan War. The complications within the Spartan royal family are explored, and Menelaus recounts his experiences alongside Odysseus and what he knows about his fate after the battle at Troy.

      The titular Odyssey opens with Odysseus washed ashore, devoid of memory of past events or his current goal, cared for by the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), who appears to harbor her own intentions (one of several dynamics that could have benefitted from more exploration, notwithstanding the film's length). The narrative revisits the iconic ruse of the Trojan horse—if you are unaware, it involved Ithacan soldiers secretly hiding inside a giant wooden horse to sneak into Troy—which offers glimpses of the city's fall, yet primarily focuses on Odysseus' voyage home.

      During the initial leg of his journey, Odysseus and his crew—and Himesh Patel’s Eurylochus as his trusted aide—find themselves imprisoned in a cave by Poseidon’s cyclops son Polyphemus (played by Bill Irwin, achieved through breathtaking makeup rather than CGI), showcasing Nolan's