The Odyssey
2026
****½
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Mia Goth
Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, never returned home after the glorious win in the Trojan War 20 years ago. While his wife, Penelope, who battles relentless suitors, and his son, Telemachus, refuse to believe he is dead, Odysseus has spent years trying to reach home despite facing monsters, deadly trials, and temptations. Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient epic poem works perfectly as a sister piece to Oppenheimer, and perhaps Interstellar and Inception as well. They are all about men struggling with the consequences of their own actions. Nolan's lengthy film takes its time to get going, and the story is episodic by nature, but it gradually builds through several breathtaking sequences to a supreme epic adventure. As the first film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, the visuals are stunning, and the special effects are mostly practical. Amid all the spectacle, there are also some heartfelt performances, with Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and John Leguizamo among the standouts.
