--- title: "The Odyssey" year: 2026 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-odyssey" fi1m_id: "the-odyssey" imdb_id: "tt33764258" tmdb_id: 1368337 wikidata_id: "Q131547207" fi1m_score: 83 critics_score: 90 critics_reviews: 12 published: "2026-09-09" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:41.982183+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Odyssey (2026) Directed by Christopher Nolan · 2h 53m · MPA R · Adventure, Action, Fantasy ## Identity The Odyssey - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-odyssey - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-odyssey - **IMDb ID:** tt33764258 - **TMDB ID:** 1368337 - **Wikidata ID:** Q131547207 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33764258/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1368337, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131547207 **Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 90 from 12 reviews *In a sentence:* Homer with the gods sent home early and a tired man left to do the rowing > Christopher Nolan’s Homer is a war film about what happens after the war, shot enormous and acted quietly, and for long stretches it is as good as anything he has made. It is also nearly three hours, and in the middle you feel every one of them. ## Synopsis The war at Troy is over and Odysseus (Matt Damon) has still not come home. On Ithaca his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) keeps a hall full of suitors waiting, the loudest of them Antinous (Robert Pattinson), while their son Telemachus (Tom Holland) grows up on stories about a father he cannot remember. The swineherd Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) keeps faith at the edge of the estate. Out at sea, Odysseus and his second-in-command Eurylochus (Himesh Patel) lead what is left of the crew through islands, caves and the company of Calypso (Charlize Theron), who would rather he stayed. Christopher Nolan writes and directs, with a bard (Travis Scott) telling parts of the tale. It runs 173 minutes and carries a 15 certificate. ## Review Christopher Nolan, who wrote, directed and produced this with Emma Thomas, has decided that *The Odyssey* is not a story about monsters. It is about a man who has been at a war and cannot find his way back from it; the monsters are what he meets on the road. It is a Nolan hero: a job, a family, and no way to hold both. The gods are pushed to the edges. What is left is a soldier, a boat, and a house that has stopped expecting him. Our verdict is that it works, and works best when it is smallest. The scenes on Ithaca, where Anne Hathaway’s Penelope runs a household under siege with a politeness that is a weapon, are the finest in the film. Tom Holland’s Telemachus is a boy who has been told all his life that he looks like someone, and Holland plays the resentment without saying it. Robert Pattinson’s Antinous is not the brute of the poem but a man who has worked out that patience is also a kind of force. John Leguizamo’s Eumaeus gets the least screen time of them all and stayed with us longest. Matt Damon plays Odysseus tired. Not heroically tired but tired the way people are after a long illness: slow to answer, quick to anger, embarrassed by both. It is a good performance and an unglamorous one. Himesh Patel’s Eurylochus is the crewman who has stopped believing the captain and cannot say so, and Charlize Theron’s Calypso knows exactly what she is offering and what it will cost him to refuse. Travis Scott appears as a bard, there to remind us that all of this has been told before. Hoyte van Hoytema shoots the sea as an enormous empty room. The boat is small in the frame and the horizon is high, and there are long passages of nothing but weather, and we did not want them to end. Ruth De Jong’s production design keeps Ithaca dusty and low-ceilinged, a farm with pretensions rather than a palace, and Ellen Mirojnick dresses everyone in cloth that looks salted and slept in. Ludwig Göransson’s score, credited with Rosa Fragorapti and Callum Armstrong, is mostly low brass and drums held back for a long time; when it lets go it does so once, and earns it. We were frightened in the Cyclops’s cave, properly frightened, because Nolan keeps the creature out of the light and lets the sound of it breathing and shifting stone do the work. Jennifer Lame’s editing here is the opposite of frantic: long shots, held, so that you are trapped in there with the crew and cannot look away to find the exit. It is the best set piece in the film and it comes early enough that nothing afterwards matches it. That is one problem. The other is the shape. Homer’s poem is a string of episodes and Nolan has kept the string, so the middle hour is one island, then another, each well made, each slightly shorter of breath than the last. At 173 minutes the film sags between the cave and the return. Nolan has also sanded down his hero. The Odysseus of the poem is a liar and a boaster; this one is mostly sorry. It makes him easier to like and less interesting, and it lets the film blame a war for everything, which is a modern idea and a smaller one. Most critics have gone further than us, and we understand why: it is enormous, serious, and not a sequel to anything. We think it is a fine film with a slack middle and a hero who has had his teeth filed. Nolan has done war before in *Dunkirk*, where the point was getting home. Here the point is what home does to you when you get there, and on that subject it is close to the best of him. See it in a cinema, on the largest screen within reach, because the sea will not survive a living room. Take someone who knows the poem and someone who does not, and listen to which is more surprised. *Fi1m score 83, published 9 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are uniformly favourable, and most of them are warm. Critics agree that Nolan has made something large and serious out of Homer, reading the poem as a story about the aftermath of war and the difficulty of coming home. The praise gathers around the 70mm IMAX photography, the practical effects in the set pieces, particularly the Cyclops cave and the Circe encounter, and the score. Performances are singled out too: Damon’s tired Odysseus and the women of the cast, with Samantha Morton named more than once. The reservations are few and mild, and the spread is narrow. The Hollywood Reporter finds the film uneven and occasionally dull, blaming the episodic shape of the source and some casting. /Film agrees it is messy and drags in places under the weight of its ambition. Vulture thinks it stays intellectually distant from the emotion it reaches for, and the Los Angeles Times notes it plays down Odysseus’s ego and appetites. Nobody dislikes it. ## Straight answers **Is The Odyssey worth watching?** *The Odyssey* is worth watching, and we scored it 83, for anyone who can sit through nearly three hours of a war film that is mostly about the aftermath. Matt Damon plays Odysseus tired rather than heroic, the Ithaca scenes are the best in it, and the middle hour of islands sags. See it on the largest screen you can find. **How long is The Odyssey, and what is it rated?** *The Odyssey* runs 2h 53m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is an adventure and action film. **Where can I watch The Odyssey in the US?** *The Odyssey* is not on any streaming or rental service in the US at the moment. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is The Odyssey, and is it suitable for children?** *The Odyssey* carries a 15 certificate in the UK and an R in the US, so it is not for young children. The Cyclops's cave frightened us properly, with the creature kept out of the light and the sound of its breathing doing the work, and there is the violence you would expect from a story about a soldier coming home. Teenagers of fifteen and over should be fine. **How does The Odyssey compare to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?** *The Odyssey* is the quieter and sadder of the two, a homecoming told through one tired man, where [*The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king) is the grander and more thrilling. Both run long and both sag in stretches. Jackson's film is the more moving; Nolan's is the more interesting on what home does to a soldier who reaches it. **What should I watch after The Odyssey?** After *The Odyssey*, try [*The Return*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king) (2024, Fi1m 88): The same homecoming with no monsters at all, and Ralph Fiennes doing the rowing. Then [*O Brother, Where Art Thou?*](https://film.one/film/o-brother-where-art-thou) (2000, Fi1m 82): Homer in Depression-era Mississippi, with singing convicts and a one-eyed Bible salesman; and [*Dunkirk*](https://film.one/film/dunkirk) (2017, Fi1m 86): Nolan’s earlier war film, where the whole plot is trying to get home. ### Reviews we read (16) - **Radio Times**, James Mottram (5/5): Nolan delivers a visceral, grounded take on Homer’s epic that blends fantasy with the horrors of war and the pain of homecoming. The film excels through its spectacular IMAX imagery, strong female performances, and a masterful score, marking Nolan at his finest. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (5/5): Nolan reinvents the Homeric legend as a colossal story of postwar disillusion and the true cost of war, with an epic cast and film-making of thrilling ambition. The critic singles out the gasp-inducing IMAX landscapes of loneliness and full-tilt battle sequences for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/15/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan-matt-damon) - **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (5/5): Nolan has turned one of the great legends into a blockbuster for the ages, stripping the epic of antique trappings to expose its soul with grandeur and intimacy. The critic singles out the thrillingly all-over-the-place tonal palette and technical brilliance of sequences like the Cyclops cave for praise. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/07/17/the-odyssey-review-astonishing-reimagining-homer/) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (5/5): Nolan’s ambitious adaptation stands as his most formidable work, combining epic spectacle with intimate emotional detail and trauma themes in a groundbreaking 70mm IMAX production. Standout performances, especially from the female cast, and an extraordinary score elevate this Homeric tale. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-odyssey-review-2026) - **Empire**, John Nugent (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a monumental piece of work and a worthy new translation of the ancient text. They single out the ambitious scale of filmmaking, seamless integration of practical effects and other techniques in the set pieces, and Nolan's thematic focus on human folly, war, and flawed heroes. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-odyssey-2026/) - **Vulture** (70/100, inferred): Odysseus emerges as the quintessential Nolan protagonist, torn between vocation and family in a sprawling, spectacle-driven epic that feels like a career endpoint. Damon's weary performance and sequences like the Circe encounter are praised, though the film stays intellectually distant from deeper emotion. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-odyssey-is-a-natural-end-point-for-christopher-nolan.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson: The critic finds the film epically satisfying as a monument to movie craft and a moralistic take on Nolan’s recurring themes of memory and empire. She singles out the impressive practical effects, IMAX cinematography, and monsters for praise while noting it skimps on Odysseus’s ego and lust. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-07-15/odyssey-review-christopher-nolan-matt-damon-anne-hathaway-tom-holland) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: Nolan's adaptation is uneven and occasionally snoozy due to the source's episodic structure and some casting choices, but it delivers muscular spectacle, strong ensemble work, and resonant themes of war, trauma, and homecoming. The Circe sequence with Samantha Morton stands out as a highlight. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan-matt-damon-1236647905/) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis: The critic praises Nolan’s monumental adaptation as a passionate, virtuosic spectacle that bridges art film and blockbuster with thematic depth and kinetic thrills. She singles out the film’s existence as a polished, star-filled studio entertainment that turns the ancient poem into thoughtful pure cinema. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/movies/the-odyssey-review.html) - **Collider**, Joe Schmidt (9/10): The critic praises Nolan's adaptation as a strong meditation on storytelling itself, highlighting its spectacle, non-linear elements, and strong performances from the cast including Damon as a burdened Odysseus and Hathaway as Penelope. [Read](https://collider.com/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan/) - **Polygon**, Jake Kleinman (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as Nolan's purest and one of the most epic and beautiful ever made, comparing its action and scale favorably to the Lord of the Rings trilogy while praising its visuals, score, and performances especially Leguizamo. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan/) - **The Wrap** (90/100, inferred): Nolan's film is his best yet, a mournful horror story about guilt and hubris rather than action. Praised for its emotional sensitivity and terrifying visuals. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/reviews/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan/) - **Deadline**, Gregory Nussen (85/100, inferred): Nolan's adaptation is a humanistic, anti-war exploration of time, memory, and patriarchal damage. The critic praises its restrained staging and emotional depth, particularly the reckoning with war's consequences. [Read](https://deadline.com/2026/07/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan-movie-1236976044/) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (8/10): Nolan's adaptation overwhelms with its massive scope, grandeur, and IMAX spectacle but feels messy and drags due to overambition and uneven pacing. The powerful emotional finale, arresting imagery, and sense of wonder provide the main highlights and tie into themes of war's aftermath. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/2215067/christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-movie-review/) - **The Ringer**, Helena Hunt (70/100, inferred): The critic notes that Nolan replaces the chaotic Greek gods with a more distant, moral deity emphasizing hospitality and avoiding war, resulting in a version focused on reckoning and modern virtues rather than divine intervention. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2026/07/20/movies/christopher-nolan-casts-out-the-gods) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4.5 out of 5): The critic praises the film's epic scale, stunning IMAX visuals, and emotional depth as a love story and homecoming tale, while noting its fidelity to Homer's epic and strong performances, particularly Samantha Morton's. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolan/) ## Details - **Director:** Christopher Nolan - **Director:** Christopher Nolan - **Writer:** Christopher Nolan - **Cinematography:** Hoyte van Hoytema - **Editor:** Jennifer Lame - **Music:** Ludwig Göransson, Callum Armstrong, Rosa Fragorapti - **Production design:** Ruth De Jong - **Costume design:** Ellen Mirojnick - **Producer:** Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas - **Cast:** Matt Damon as Odysseus; Tom Holland as Telemachus; Anne Hathaway as Penelope; Robert Pattinson as Antinous; Himesh Patel as Eurylochus; Charlize Theron as Calypso; John Leguizamo as Eumaeus; Travis Scott as Bard - **Runtime:** 2h 53m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 17 July 2026 - **Genres:** Adventure, Action, Fantasy - **Budget:** $250 million - **Box office:** $1.63 billion - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyIZ9tiiN8I ## Where to watch in the US Not streaming, renting or buying in the US at the last check. ## If you liked this - *The Return* (2024), Fi1m 88: The same homecoming with no monsters at all, and Ralph Fiennes doing the rowing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md) - *O Brother, Where Art Thou?* (2000), Fi1m 82: Homer in Depression-era Mississippi, with singing convicts and a one-eyed Bible salesman. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/o-brother-where-art-thou.md) - *Ulysses* (1954): Kirk Douglas takes the voyage in Technicolor, with more confidence and less guilt. - *Jason and the Argonauts* (1963): The Greek sea voyage as pure adventure, with Ray Harryhausen’s skeletons stealing the ending. - *Dunkirk* (2017), Fi1m 86: Nolan’s earlier war film, where the whole plot is trying to get home. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dunkirk.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-odyssey