The Odyssey

It reviews better than it plays — admired more than it is enjoyed.

• “It’s great, a star-studded triumph that is at once overwhelming and accessible.”

  Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic · 100

• “A worthy new translation of an ancient text, and yet another monumental piece of work from one of our boldest filmmakers. Watch it on the most colossal screen you can find.”

  John Nugent, Empire · 100

• “For all its monsters, gods, armies, and thunder, “The Odyssey” finds its grandest image in a man confronting the dark mirror of what he has wrought. Nolan’s massive achievement understands that home is a place, a family, a memory, and a judgment. Odysseus may still recognize Ithaca when he reaches its shores. The more frightening question is whether Ithaca will recognize him.”

  Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist · 100

• “The interplay of chance and fate is a through-line of this 172-minute IMAX epic, which feels shorter, thanks mainly to the impressive ability of Nolan and his regular editor Jennifer Lame (who won an Oscar for cutting "Oppenheimer") to make time seem elastic.”

  Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com · 100

• “Though some sequences seem to fly by, The Odyssey isn't one of those three-hour movies you'd swear was half its length. It takes its time, and you feel it. But rather than signaling any issues with pacing – editor Jennifer Lame, an Oscar-winner for Oppenheimer, has once again done exquisite work – this is one of the film's greatest strengths. Cutting out the middleman of Homer's oral narrator, Nolan has brought us very close to these characters, immersing us as much as possible in their experience. In doing so, he has managed to capture the story's full scope. Odysseus' journey conveys the weight of its arduous years. The film's conclusion, told with a steady, patient hand, feels like a payoff 20 years in the making.”

  Alex Harrison, Screen Rant · 100