The Odyssey Review: Christopher Nolan Delivers an Epic Worth the Journey

Christopher Nolan has done it again.

The Odyssey is easily one of the best movies I've seen this year. Taking one of the oldest stories ever told isn't an easy task, especially when so many people already know the major moments, but Nolan somehow makes it feel fresh while still staying true to what made the story so iconic in the first place.

When I say he put his own twist on it, I'm mainly talking about the casting choices. On paper, some of these actors probably weren't who people expected, and after seeing the movie, though, I don't understand the backlash this cast has been getting. Every concern people have will disappear within the first few minutes.

This cast is stacked and incredibly diverse from top to bottom. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson... everybody brings their A-game. Nobody feels out of place, and everyone gets a chance to shine. Even the supporting cast leaves an impression. Lupita Nyong’o and Zendaya's roles surprised me, I found myself wanting more from them.

Visually, this movie is beautiful. Seeing The Odyssey in 70MM IMAX is absolutely the way to experience it if you can. Every location feels massive, from the open sea to the battlefields and everything in between. Nolan has always known how to make a movie feel big, but this might be one of his most epic-looking films yet. There were several moments where I just sat there taking it all in because the scale of everything was incredible.

The movie runs just under three hours, but honestly, I never felt the runtime. That's usually the first thing people ask about a Christopher Nolan movie, but the story keeps moving. Every stop on Odysseus' journey feels important, and I never found myself checking the time.

Even though we've all heard stories about the Trojan Horse, the Lotus flowers and their mysterious effects, and Circe turning people into animals, Nolan makes those moments feel exciting all over again. He doesn't try to reinvent the mythology. Instead, he makes you feel like you're experiencing these stories for the first time.

Matt Damon does a fantastic job carrying the film. He brings the right amount of confidence, leadership, and vulnerability to Odysseus, and you believe every step of his journey. It's one of my favorite performances from him in a long time.

Tom Holland also deserves a lot of credit. His storyline ended up being one of the emotional anchors of the movie, and his chemistry with the rest of the cast helped keep me invested from beginning to end.

As for the villain, Robert Pattinson absolutely stole every scene he was in as Antinous. You're supposed to hate this guy, and trust me, you will. Every time he showed up on screen, I wanted somebody to knock him down a few pegs. The tension between him and Tom Holland's character became one of my favorite parts of the entire movie.

One thing people should know going in is that the movie isn't told in a straight line. Nolan jumps around in the timeline, especially early on, and I actually liked that. It makes the world feel lived in instead of just telling the story from point A to point B. We meet characters at different stages of their lives, and somehow it never becomes confusing or slows the movie down.

The action is another huge highlight. The battle scenes are brutal, and you really feel how ruthless the Greeks were. Nolan puts you right in the middle of the fighting, and there were several moments where I caught myself gripping my seat. The practical effects mixed with the IMAX presentation make everything hit even harder.

A couple of pleasant surprises for me were Elliot Page, James Remar, and Corey Hawkins. Elliot Page only has a handful of scenes, but he makes the most of every one of them. James Remar and Corey Hawkins somehow slipped under my radar before the movie came out, so seeing them pop up was a nice surprise.

At the end of the day, The Odyssey is everything I wanted it to be. It's epic, emotional, visually stunning, and packed with great performances. Christopher Nolan took a story that's been told for thousands of years and somehow made it feel new again without losing what made it special.

If you're a fan of Nolan's work or just love big, epic movies, this is one you need to see on the biggest screen possible. The Odyssey hits theaters on Friday, July 17, and I highly recommend checking it out. Go in with an open mind, experience it for yourself, and then decide where it ranks among Christopher Nolan's best films. I have a feeling this one is going to be in that conversation for a long time.