DIRECTOR
Christopher Nolan
Oppenheimer, Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, The Dark Knight Films, Inception, The Prestige, Batman Begins, Insomnia, Memento, Following

STARS
Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Berthal, Himesh Patel, Mia Goth, Samantha Morton, Corey Hawkins, John Leguizamo and Benny Safdie

13 is no unlucky number for Christopher Nolan.

This self-assigned project to bring Homer’s ancient Greek epic to contemporary audiences is an arduous one that is Hollywood’s first major film adaption of the source material and is the first-ever feature film to be shot entirely on IMAX’s 70 mm film cameras.

Nolan has publicly stated The Odyssey is the largest and most challenging production of his career. Let’s make his quite outstanding 13th feature film, arguably his best, the most rewarding for effort yet!

A little synopsis for those like me who have never read Homer’s work and don’t know the basis of the story unforgettably rendered in The Odyssey.

In Ithaca, it has been 20 years since Greek king, Odysseus (Matt Damon) left his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son, Telemachus (Tom Holland) to fight in the Trojan War. Given the lengthy amount of time that has passed by, Penelope is losing hope her husband is still alive and knocking back suitors, including Antinous (Robert Pattinson) and Polybus (Corey Hawkins) cannot go on for much longer. Telemachus is desperate to find out if his father is dead or alive. The number of Ithacans still willing to serve their absent king is dwindling too. Perhaps Eumaeus (John Leguizamo), a loyal yet near-blind follower, is most loyal to Odysseus. Meanwhile, sometime after emerging victorious from the Trojan War, Odysseus and his crew, including second-in-command Eurylochus (Himesh Patel), begin the long journey home to Ithaca, encountering mythical beings and maritime hazards along the way.

An epic and exquisite production, as it was always going to be, The Odyssey’s exhilarating way of bringing the inherent adventure in its story to life coupled with the rising dramatic stakes at its core
is among the best of its kind I have seen.

The plot that is established and scenes set in Ithaca from the beginning of the film form heartfelt grounding for where the entire story traverses and brings a sense of urgency to proceedings that contribute strongly to what is a sensational climax. When the action shifts to revealing what has become of Odysseus and chronicles he and his army of men lengthy journey home to Ithaca, The Odyssey delivers awe-inspiring visuals and injects a sense of wonder courtesy of set-piece sequences that are quite original and leave viewers impatiently anticipating what these men, or what is left of them, will come across next. Despite the near three hour run time, it is never too long a wait for that next enthralling sequence and because the narrative always remains utterly engaging too, there is not a single slow patch or a minute wasted in The Odyssey.

If I do have any less complimentary things to say of this film, it is in some more specific parts of its storytelling and character input that are less clear or take most of the film’s duration to determine. I am quite sure, like me, some of the set-piece sequences will stand-out above others and one or two could slightly underwhelm those who arrive with expectations to The Odyssey. My only other callout and a relatively minor imperfection is how the film’s prominent and powerful score sometimes overpowers dialogue spoken by characters throughout. With that said, there are a few specific developments made towards the finale and during the climax of The Odyssey that I found stunningly pieced together and executed.

Having seen 10 of the 13 feature films directed by Christopher Nolan, I can safely say The Odyssey is his best work yet. A fine accomplishment considering this man’s catalogue to date.

The Odyssey is showing in cinemas across Australia from July 16th, 2026.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures for the invitation to the IMAX screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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