Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Review: A Stunning Epic That Redefines Mythology

Odysseus (Matt Damon) waits for his men as they disembark from a ship.

Source: Universal Pictures

Overall: 8.8/10

Story 8.9/10

The story picks up right before the fall of Troy. The Greeks have built their infamous Trojan Horse—a thing that goes beyond what is customary and acceptable in war. 

Odysseus takes part in it. And he is made to pay for his part. The gods do not take kindly to their laws being broken.

At its heart, Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is the story of man’s inhumanity to man. Perhaps all is not fair in love and war. 

There are lines that should not be crossed. There are always consequences to dishonorable crossings. Nolan suggests that victory achieved without honor invites consequences that extend far beyond the battlefield.

In front, Penelope (Anne Hathaway) holds Odysseus' bow and issues a challenge while her servant, Melantho (Mia Goth), looks on at her back.

Source: Universal Pictures

Character 8.7/10

Matt Damon/Odysseus

Odysseus wants to win the war swiftly and not lose any of his men. But he betrays his own ideals about honor to reach his goal. 

He pays greatly for the way in which he and the rest of the Greeks win the war. The gods see to it. Just as Odysseus breaks Zeus’ law, Odysseus sees those who would abuse it against his home and his family. 

Anne Hathaway/Penelope

Penelope wants desperately to have faith that her husband will return. It’s her only hope to keep her son alive and to preserve Ithaca’s throne. 

By the day, it slips from her grasp. And the rules of the time offer her no respite from the vultures, who've come to pick at what soon may be Ithaca's carcass.

Tom Holland/Telemachus

Telemachus thinks he is wise beyond his years and that he has more skill than what he truly possesses. 

Telemachus believes he is fit to be king. But he can't see his mother's wisdom. He feels Penelope has no resolve and puts faith in the wrong thing. In his eyes, his mother will lose him the throne if he does not swiftly find his father. 

John Leguizamo/Emaeus

Emaeus is a faithful servant. He's a blind man that sees much. He wishes to protect all that his master has left in his hands to look after. But there are those who seek to tear those things from his grasp with wicked intentions.

Robert Pattinson/Antinous

Antinous is a coward and an opportunist. He has no morals. He doesn’t care what is right or wrong. 

His only care is that he gets what he wants. He is the polar opposite of Odysseus. Yet his wickedness is a plague upon Odysseus’ house.

Antinous (Robert Pattinson) plots his next move.

Source Universal Pictures

Final Thoughts 

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is a compelling and timely adaptation. At its core, the film reminds us that victory achieved without honor comes at a terrible cost.

Even in war, there are lines that should never be crossed. When humanity abandons its principles, civilization itself begins to unravel.

In short, The Odyssey isn't simply about a hero finding his way home—it is about a civilization struggling not to lose its soul.