When the first full-length trailer for “The Odyssey” launched in early May, it landed with remarkable force, dividing fans over adaptation choices, with complaints ranging from casting decisions to the use of modern language.
Fans who criticized the film pointed to a lack of historical accuracy, pointing to the costume and prop designs. They also expressed concerns that the language was too informal and modern, along with complaints about casting decisions that they said were not faithful to the source material.
The film’s director Christopher Nolan called these conversations “irrelevant.”
“Comes with the territory,” Nolan told The Telegraph. “But 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.”
“All I can do is make the best film I possibly can in the most sincere way,” he added. “It’s very different from how anyone else would do it, but that’s what adaptation is.”
The dust still hasn’t settled on whether Nolan was right, but as early reviews from critics and fans pour in, the film is receiving an overwhelmingly positive response — with only limited complaints about historical accuracies, casting choices and other initial gripes.
Both fans and critics, it seems, are impressed with the immense scope of Nolan’s film, many labeling it among the two-time Oscar winner’s best work to date.
The New York Times praised the film for its “passion in every frame,” while Variety said it “thrills generously for the bulk of its near three-hour running time.”
The film debuted Thursday night with $17.6 million in previews screenings, delivering the year’s strongest preview box office performance and topping the $17.5 million grossed by “Toy Story 5.”
“The Odyssey” is expected to carry its strong momentum through the weekend, with an opening projected between $90 million and $100 million.
Here is what some critics and fans are saying about “The Odyssey.”
What critics are saying
Early critics reviews for “The Odyssey” are mostly positive. Critics praise it for its behemoth scale and ambitious visuals, while some fault its uneven storytelling.
Here is what some critics are saying about “The Odyssey.”
- “This is a blockbuster of literally unprecedented scale,” write the Independent. “It is also Nolan’s best work to date. It deserves to be the film that defines him.”
- The New Yorker called the film “crowd-pleasing and anachronistic,” adding that it has “vigorous confidence and unimpeachable clarity.”
- “Instead of being an answer to our prayers, The Odyssey ends up being just another reason for despair,” panned Time magazine.
- “What you tend to walk away with after bearing witness to The Odyssey, arguably Christopher Nolan’s best work after 2017’s Dunkirk, is an overall sensation of awe,” writes Rolling Stone. “It is one of the most dynamic movies in recent memory.”
- “The Odyssey is so rich, so full of magic and humanity, that I’m eager to see this epic again,” writes the BBC.
- The New York Times called “The Odyssey” “a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood allure.”
- “Nolan delivers that rarest breed of blockbuster with The Odyssey — a visual extravaganza shot entirely in IMAX and best seen projected onto a mountain-size screen,” writes The Atlantic. “Yet the movie manages to be a challenging, personal work, too.”
- The Hollywood Reporter called the film “uneven” and “at times snoozy,” though added that it is a “spectacle.”
- “Though occasionally less than ideally written and acted, ‘The Odyssey,’ as a feast of image and sound, is an exceptional cinematic experience,” writes The Wall Street Journal.
- “Not only is it the greatest work on the iconic director’s noteworthy resume but ‘The Odyssey’ also tops Matt Damon’s not-too-shabby CV,” writes USA Today. “Just give him the best actor Oscar now, for Zeus’ sake.”
- “Modern mainstream films don’t come more daring, mammoth, and accomplished than Nolan’s latest,” writes The Daily Beast.
What people are saying
Fans and critics who saw “The Odyssey” are praising the film for its epic visuals, scale and storytelling while some debate over adaptation choices.
Here is what some viewers are saying about “The Odyssey.”
When does ‘The Odyssey’ come out?
“The Odyssey” premieres in theaters on Friday, July 17, and is rated R for violence.