‘The Odyssey’ Stars Attend World Premiere in London
01:35
Tickets for Christopher Nolan’s epic blockbuster “The Odyssey” have been sold out for months as fans eagerly await the July 17 release of the filmmaker’s most ambitious project to date
But is all the hype worth it? If social media reactions to early screenings are any indication, “The Odyssey” is about to become the summer’s biggest movie — if not one of the most iconic films of the year
Filmed in 91 days, “The Odyssey” was shot entirely in IMAX in locations across the world, including Greece, Italy, Morocco, Iceland and Scotland. Written and directed by Nolan, the 2-hour, 53-minute epic features an all-star cast led by Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Norton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron
For those who slept through middle-school English, “The Odyssey” is based on Homer’s epic, 12,000 line poem by the same name, thought to have been penned sometime during the 7th or 8th century BCE
Steeped in Greek mythology, the story tells the tale of Odysseus (Damon), a Greek king who, after conquering Troye with wife, Penelope (Hathaway), and son, Telemachus (Holland)
It’s an emotional and physical saga that takes Odysseus and his beleaguered crew across raging oceans, through the fires of Hades and into the caves of monsters, before reaching its epic conclusion
Joining the ranks of films like “Lord of the Rings” and “Lawrence of Arabia,” see below to find out what early critics are saying about Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
Variety
After seeing an early screening of “The Odyssey,” Variety senior editor, Jazz Tangcay, posted, “I have seen Christopher Nolan’s #TheOdyssey, and it is an astonishing achievement. A triumphant, spectacular epic. The performances from Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o are genuinely grand. And for some, truly, the best performances of their career!”
In a follow-up post, Tangcay continued by raving that “The Odyssey” is a “work of art,” saying that Nolan did an “incredible job” of bringing Homer’s masterpiece to the big screen and the result is “breathtaking.”
“He has outdone himself. You could feel the passion in his storytelling. You feel the passion in the crafts and the acting.”
Screenrant
Liam Crowley of ScreenRant posts, “The Odyssey is the most must-see theatrical experience of our generation. An absolute redefinition of the word epic and a new gold standard for blockbuster cinema.”
Though Crowley cites several memorable performances, he singles out Hathaway’s as being a “Oscars win lock.” Saying that the film is Nolan’s “crown jewel,” the ScreenRant critic raves that “The Odyssey” is “paced to perfection” and that each act of the blockbuster could be a “best picture nomination.”
Empire Magazine
Nick de Semlyen of London’s Empire Magazine posted on X and said that “The Odyssey” is “rich, propulsive, deeply emotional filmmaking” and wrote that the cast had “too many standouts to mention.”
Even so, he flagged performances by Elliot Page, John Leguizamo and Robert Pattinson as being among the most memorable
After seeing the film twice, de Semlyen said his second viewing was “even more satisfying.”
The Independent
Jacob Stolworthy, chief film and TV correspondent for The Independent, posted on X that Nolan’s film has about “triple the number of huge set pieces” than any of the director’s previous films and that “every single one of them is breathtaking.”
Stolworthy also said that Nolan used “visual trickery” in a way no one has seen him do before. Stolworthy’s only complaint? That the sets were so good, it left him wanting more, thus making a re-watch a must
Finally, of the cast, Stolworthy wrote that it was “stacked,” with each of the high-profile actors delivering, especially Holland, Norton and Himesh Patel, who plays Odysseus’ second-in-command
Collider
Collider editor-in-chief Steven Weintraubposted his initial reaction to the blockbuster, writing, “I’m really blown away by this film. Everything from the flawless performances to the way Nolan embraces the supernatural is just perfect.”
Weintraub continued by writing that the best way to see the film is in IMAX, calling it a “jaw dropping experience.”
Erik Davis of Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes
TV and movie critic Erik Davis, who contributes to both Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, hailed “The Odyssey” as a “triumph” on X, and said that the film was a “crowning achievement” from one of “the great filmmakers of our time.”
Calling it “breathtaking,” Davis said the blockbuster is the “must-see cinematic event of the summer” and, perhaps, even the year. “I can’t wait to watch it again,” he concluded
Time Out
Phil de Semlyen, global film editor for Time Out, added his glowing review to the list with a post on X
“Believe the hype(rbole): The Odyssey is that film. Dense but accessible, packed with career-best work from the stacked cast — Samantha Morton is extraordinary — it’s a dizzying mix of craft and spectacle that’s built to last.”
He continued by writing, “A chilling vision of brutalised men seeing themselves in the eyes of women, a study of leadership and an old-school sweeping adventure tale. Even the cyclops got me in the feels. There’s even a few laughs, too. Go see. Twice.”
“The Odyssey” is produced and distributed by Universal, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, TODAY’s parent company
