First reviews of the Odyssey: After months of intense anticipation, fan theories, and sky-high expectations, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to hit theaters, and early reviews have been nothing short of enthusiastic. Fronted by Matt Damon, with Tom Holland and Zendaya in lead roles, the epic is being hailed as a stunning, emotionally stirring spectacle, with many critics calling it another cinematic triumph for Nolan. (Also read: Odyssey review: This breathtaking horror is Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus; Robert Pattinson redefines villainy)
odyssey first review
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is an epic fantasy action film inspired by Homer’s classic Greek poem. The Odyssey features a star-studded cast led by Matt Damon as the legendary Odysseus. While Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus Robert Pattinson steps into the role of Antinous. Anne Hathaway portrays Penelope, while Charlize Theron portrays the charming Calypso. The film also stars Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, John Leguizamo and Mia Goth.
With the review embargo finally lifted, critics have begun to ponder Nolan’s epic. So, does The Odyssey live up to the huge expectations? Judging by the first wave of responses, the answer is ‘yes’. Currently, the film has a critic score of 99% rotten tomatoes. The film has received a 96% rating on Tomatometer.
review of Diversity Reads, “Truly a grand, daring vision, The Odyssey thrills generously for much of its nearly three-hour running time: It seems that every few minutes, it offers its audience another powerful setpiece that, in almost any other summer studio spectacle, would be a climax.”
Wire The Odyssey was described as “the film of the year”, with Metro declaring that the film would “change cinema forever”. According to The Times, The Odyssey is “a masterpiece in every way”. The Standard praised the film as a “magnificent piece of cinema”.
hollywood reporterDavid Rooney noted that the film was somewhat “uneven”, but praised the ensemble cast.
of amy nicholson LA Times stated that the film was “satisfying”, but also said that it strayed somewhat from the source material and “doesn’t pay attention to the character’s ego and lust”.
GuardianPeter Bradshaw of Empire wrote that The Odyssey is a film of “thrilling ambition, courage, seriousness, generosity and flair”, gave it a five-star rating, and wrote, “The Odyssey is the definition of epic”.
According to the BBC, “Oppenheimer, with its singular focus, is still Nolan’s most perfectly constructed film. But even with its flaws, The Odyssey is so rich, so full of magic and humanity, that I look forward to seeing this epic again.”
review by new York Times Read, “This is a unique big-studio entertainment that Nolan has packed with stars and polished to a high shine, turning a 3,000-year-old poem into a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood charm.”
According to USA Today, “The Odyssey is a delight in every aspect, from the production design to the costumes”. Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times said, “Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon. Wielding mighty scissors, he cuts and resurrects Homer and Virgil to transform the classical texts into his own kind of story: centered on memory, self-identity, destructive genius and the slippage of time.”
screen rant The Odyssey has been described as “entertaining, fascinating, sometimes frightening and, when it needs to be, quite poignant”. The Wrap stated that “The Odyssey is a personal studio blockbuster about self-loathing and shame. Seeing a story this intimate and judgmental on such a titanic scale is a rare, almost perverse experience. You can’t say Hollywood doesn’t make them like this anymore. Nobody ever did.” Although there were hardly any negative reviews, there were a few who mentioned that they found it difficult at certain points to hear the film’s dialogues.
More information about the film
The story follows King Odysseus (Matt Damon battles monsters, mythical creatures, and impossible odds during his ten-year journey to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along with the grand adventure, the film also explores the emotional love story between Odysseus and his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway). Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus.
The cast also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron and many other notable actors. The Odyssey, Nolan’s first feature film since Oppenheimer, won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Odissi is scheduled to release in theaters on July 17. The film will be available in multiple formats including IMAX 2D and 4DX, and has also been cleared by the Indian Censor Board without any cuts but with an ‘A’ rating.