“Tell me what you do remember.”

Story: Ah, the Trojan War. Homer wrote a song about it. Like to hear it? Here it go. But this story is about after. Specially why it took Odysseus twenty years to finally return after he left for Troy.

Genre I’d put it in: Classics, Illuminated
Release Date: 2026
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the epic poem by Homer.

Gotta say: Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is almost three hours long. Yeah. But with the original epic poem at over 550 pages on average, depending on who translated it? A three hour movie isn’t a bad length. But studios. C’mere for a sec. Intermissions. Bring them back. Even though I’d forgotten everything else in the world once this film started.

This isn’t going to be a thousand word praise-bomb for the film. With a Code Purple here in Baltimore due to the wildfires in Canada (JFC I’m hoping folks up there are as safe as possible), my already addled brain is even more so. Addled-er? Sure. So let me hit y’all with the highlights of my brain pan.

Do I care about the costuming anachronisms? Nah. Nolan is trying to make a visual feast. And he succeeds. I don’t care that Damon isn’t wearing a boar tusk helmet. Those helm-brushes are cinematic shorthand, and I’m cool with it. Ditto the hair, makeup (a very light touch that still allows the performers to shine, even in IMAX), and jewelry. There’s a delicate minimalism here, at least for the most part. Anne Hathaway’s Penelope has simple, solid color garments, and jewelry pieces that let the gold, rather than oversbundance, do the talking. Hathaway’s mannerisms project queenly authority and power. Soldiers, suitors and heroes wear armor that looks functional, with light touches of leather stamping to signify houses or ranking. And John Leguizamo’s Eumaeus has simple muslin with embroidery that would show both his station, and village. This lightness emphasizes more dramatic pieces, like Agamemmnon’s spinal column headpiece, or Helen of Troy’s elaborate gowns. The costuming does a lot of exposition, and Nolan is a master at Show, Don’t Tell.

As for showing, get thee to an IMAX theater for this one. The cinematography is crisp, colorful, and with the editing, focuses on exactly what the story wants you to see. Okay fine; I’d have liked to have seen more medium shots of the fight choreography. You’ve got folks who’ve done this before, like Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, and Matt Damon. Let us glory in those moves. Otherwise, the camera does what it should. My favorite bit of editing was on Circe’s island. As the soldiers transform, Samantha Morton’s Circe molds and shapes the men in a series of edits that show is glimpses of what’s going on. The FX work beautifully with these cuts, and the scene is breathtaking.

There are moments in Homer’s Odyssey that don’t make it on screen, or are combined into one moment. It’s Athena that guides Odysseus on his final journey, there’s no bag of wind from King Aeolus, and the Phaeacians don’t make an important appearance. There are also some liberties with the story. Instead of the nymph that had to be forced into releasing Odysseus, Calypso is much more a quiet helpmate here, someone who’s there for Odysseus and waits for him to be ready to understand what’s happened to him. Her time with Odysseus serves as the means of expositional storytelling, as Odysseus begins to remember his past. We also get the reunion I felt I was denied back in school; Odysseus actually acknowledges Goodest Boi Argo, and I’m not crying you’re crying.

As you’d expect with a cast this stacked, the performances are incredible. Also, with a cast this huge, the majority of the ensemble don’t get a lot of screen time. This is Odysseus’ tale, and everyone else is along for the ride. We barely get a glimpse at Elliott Page as Sinon, a soldier under Odysseus (and not Achilles, JFC get over yourselves, haters), and Lupita Nyong’o is almost set dressing as twins Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Though Page and Nyong’o both get a scene where they can flex, and in both cases? It’s awesome. As Athena, Zendaya is a specter that guides, and chides, Odysseus, briefly ebbing and flowing from scene to scene. But do keep your eyes open towards the end, for a scene from her that hits like a gut punch.

Robert Pattinson seems to love chewing up the scenery as Penelope’s evil suitor Atinous. Though there’s nary a whiff of a weird accent to be found. Just a solid American-esque accent that sounds natural on him. Special shout-out to Leguizamo, whose Eumaeus is an old blind badass that steals every scene he’s in. (Though he does have to fight for space when Goodest Doggo Argus is on screen. Because awwww.)

Odyssey had me harking back to last week’s House of the Dragon, specifically Corlys Velaryon’s comment after The Battle of the Gullet. “If this be victory, I pray I never win another.” As Nolan’s tale plays out, we see the heavy cost of winning, the price for that victory, and how that emotional pain stays with the survivors. It’s touching, and performers like Damon and Jon Bernthal (as King Menelaus) really drive that home with haunted eyes and weary souls.

Oh well, look at that. Guess this was gonna be a thousand word praise-bomb after all. If you’ve gotten this far? Thank you for reading my review, I appreciate you sticking with me through my air quality dizziness. I’m not editing this one, I’m off to take a nap.

What are you waiting for? Go grab your tickets. This one’s gonna get a gajillion nominations come awards season. So see it on the largest screen possible. And maybe get a smaller than usual soda. Just to keep your bladder happy.

#Protip: the idea of Zeus’ Law gets bandied about throughout The Odyssey. The History Channel’s page on xenia has more on the subject, and how Nolan used it to help tell Homer’s tale.