The Odyssey (Christopher Nolan, 2026, UK/USA/Canada/New Zealand/Iceland)

The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s epic, shows the director aiming big. It is hard to capture the scale of this film - both in the world of the film itself, and in its marketing campaign and commercial success. While its success is not necessarily surprising, it is remarkable considering the subject matter and the film’s 3 hour length. Pulling together an ensemble cast, Nolan attempts to relay Homer’s ancient Greek epic on the screen. His attempt to do so is largely successful, though not without some faults.

Given Nolan’s history, one might expect The Odyssey to play heavily with time. While the film does rely on flashbacks, it is remarkably straightforward. While there are flashbacks to the Trojan horse episode throughout the film, it is largely the story of Odysseus’s return home. The narrative itself is episodic, with many of the work’s most famous episodes occurring within the broader narrative. Similarly episodic are the performances themselves. Some of the most standout performances - such as Samantha Morton's - are completely self-contained within only a few minute episodes.

There is a texture to the film that is grounded in reality, and one has to wonder if this does the source material a disservice. Many have complained that Nolan’s ancient Greek world looks closer to Scandinavia than the Mediterranean, and there is some truth to this. The film is a technical feat, but there is a sense of realism here that makes you wonder what would have happened if Nolan had truly embraced the story’s most fantastic elements. The film is impressive either way. Nolan almost has nowhere to go to top this film - hopefully he goes back to basics and makes a smaller film after this, or a film in a different genre. It would certainly be interesting to see Nolan do a horror film.

7/10