Christopher Nolan’s latest movie The Odyssey has arrived, and the critics are loving it. The film, which brings Homer’s ancient Greek story to the big screen, has earned a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This makes it the highest-rated movie of Nolan’s entire career.
The movie stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca who spends ten years trying to return home after the Trojan War. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron. The film releases in theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026.
Critics Call The Odyssey a Masterpiece
Reviewers have been very generous with their praise for Nolan’s epic. The Telegraph called it the “film of the year”. Metro declared that the movie would “change cinema forever”. The Times described it as “a masterpiece in every way”. The Standard praised the film as a “colossal piece of cinema”.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw gave the film five stars, praising its “generosity and flair”. Variety’s Guy Lodge called it “a genuinely grand, gutsy vision” that thrills audiences throughout its near three-hour runtime.
“The Odyssey is another feather in Nolan’s masterpiece cap, a grandiose achievement that fills audiences with the same child-like glee experienced when watching Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans for the first time.”
The movie currently holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 145 reviews. This beats Nolan’s previous best scores for The Dark Knight and Memento, which both had 94%.
Matt Damon Shines as Odysseus
Matt Damon delivers what many critics call a career-best performance as the legendary Greek king. His character is stripped of mythological glamour and shown as a deeply human father and husband desperately trying to get home.
Damon spoke about taking on the role, saying there are not many people in their mid-50s playing protagonists in these kinds of epics.
“There aren’t a lot of people in their mid-50s as protagonists in these epics. I looked at this like the last movie I’d ever do.”
He also praised Nolan’s filmmaking approach, noting that movies like this are not getting made anymore.
“Movies like this are not getting made anymore. To do this without a green screen, the way that David Lean would have done it, I don’t know anybody, with the exception of Chris, that’s even trying to do that.”
Star-Studded Cast Brings Homer’s Epic to Life
The film features one of the most impressive ensembles ever assembled for a single movie. Here is the main cast and their roles:
Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. He serves as the emotional anchor on land while his father battles monsters at sea. Critics have praised Holland’s performance, saying it shows a newfound maturity and is his strongest work to date.
Anne Hathaway takes on the role of Penelope, the Queen of Ithaca. Her character shows fierce resilience and quiet grief as she fights a psychological war at home while Odysseus is away.
Robert Pattinson plays Antinous, the main antagonist. He is the most arrogant and brutal of the suitors occupying the royal palace.
Zendaya appears as Athena, the Goddess of War and Wisdom. Her character serves as the cosmic mastermind behind Odysseus’s journey.
Lupita Nyong’o plays both Helen of Troy and her twin sister Clytemnestra.
Charlize Theron plays Calypso, the sea nymph who holds Odysseus captive on her island for seven years.
Nolan’s First Film Shot Entirely in IMAX
The Odyssey marks Christopher Nolan’s first movie shot entirely with IMAX cameras. The production used over 2 million feet of 70mm IMAX film negative instead of digital cameras.
The film was shot across six months in Greece, Italy, Morocco, Iceland, Scotland, and the United States. The production finished nine days ahead of its scheduled 100-day shoot.
Only 41 theaters worldwide have the equipment to show the film exactly as Nolan intended. In the United States, only 24 cinemas can project the 70mm IMAX version. In the United Kingdom, only three cinemas have this capability.
Nolan worked with IMAX to create a soundproof enclosure for the 180kg camera so they could record dialogue during filming.
The Story Behind the Epic
The Odyssey follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, on his dangerous journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. The war lasted ten years, and his journey home takes another decade.
The film uses a non-linear storytelling style, looping back and forth in time as it tells Odysseus’s story. This approach fits Nolan’s signature style, similar to what he did in movies like Memento and Oppenheimer.
The movie also follows the parallel journey of Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, who goes on his own quest to find information about his missing father. Nolan described the film as part “homecoming” and part “coming-of-age” story.
Behind the Scenes Stories
The cast and crew had to hike daily to an Italian castle during filming. Tom Holland, known for his Spider-Man agility, would zip past everyone else during these hikes.
Anne Hathaway shared that when Nolan told her about the project, she had to stand up and walk around because she needed a moment to process it. She had been a fan of Greek mythology since eighth grade.
Tom Holland admitted that when Nolan told him about the movie, he scrambled to find information to make himself look intelligent.
Matt Damon said he did not see the offer coming at all. The production wrapped ahead of schedule because the cast and crew had “been through it” and were exhausted.
Controversy Over Casting and Dialogue
The movie faced some criticism before its release over its casting choices and use of modern dialogue. Some online critics targeted the diverse cast, but Lupita Nyong’o dismissed the criticism, saying the movie is about creating a cast “representative of the world”.
Nolan responded to the backlash by saying these conversations that happen before people see the film are “always irrelevant” because no one knows what the film actually is yet.
“Look, these conversations that happen before people see the film — they’re always irrelevant, because no one having them knows what the film actually is yet.”
He compared the situation to when he cast Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight. That decision also faced criticism but Ledger went on to win a posthumous Academy Award for his performance.
Nolan defended his use of modern language, saying people tend to view the ancient world with cultural prejudice just because it is old.
“When you look at the ancient world, people tend to view the ancient world in weird ways and there’s a lot of cultural prejudice — elevating it just because it’s old.”
The director explained that the poem itself is earthy, grounded, and accessible. He wanted to center the film on that feeling and make it feel fresh for modern audiences.
What Makes This Adaptation Different
Nolan relied heavily on practical effects rather than CGI. The production used real ships and real locations instead of green screens.
The budget for The Odyssey was $250 million. Despite the massive budget, Nolan completed the film ahead of schedule and under budget.
Some critics noted that the film has difficulty with dialogue in places, which is a common complaint with Nolan movies because he only uses audio recorded on set rather than having actors re-record lines later.
The Financial Times pointed out that the use of certain modern words “jarred me out of the past”. However, Nolan has called using contemporary language “a no-brainer”.
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Global Release and Screenings
The Odyssey had its world premiere in London on July 6, 2026. The India premiere took place on July 10 and 11 in Mumbai.
The film opens in theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026. It has a runtime of 2 hours and 53 minutes.
The movie received an A rating and passed without cuts in India, meaning audiences there will see the same version as the rest of the world.
Also Read: The Odyssey Cast Performs One-Minute Musical Recap on Jimmy Fallon Show
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