It used to be the case that a film star’s name attached to a project would open a movie, making it a guaranteed box-office winner. Occasionally, a director would have that same effect. Christopher Nolan has become one of those directors. His films tend to open big. Not saying that they aren’t always great. For me, his past two movies haven’t been winners for me. Tenet was a head-scratcher while Oppenheimer was head-scratchingly boring. Yet the Cillian Murphy Oscar winner was an enormous box office smash (remember its battle with Barbie?). Well, Oppenheimer ran so that The Odyssey could walk. After it became a huge hit, Nolan was able to get a hefty budget for his vision of Homer’s famous poem, and thank goodness, because this is Nolan back on form with a blockbuster that is epic in every sense of the word.

After the Trojan War, Odysseus, king of a small Greek region, goes missing, leaving his realm vulnerable to outside suitors who want to marry his wife, Penelope, and seize his crown. His son, Telemachus, and the rightful heir to the throne, can only watch on and hope that his father will return. Yet Odysseus finds himself lost and struggling to remember the life that has led him to be abandoned on an island with no idea of his family and the realm that he has left behind.

Homer’s classic tale is one that many may not be familiar with, although there are elements of the story that you would have heard of, none more so than the Trojan horse, in which a large wooden horse was a gift to the people of Troy, who did not know that an army was hidden inside. This is a section of this long journey that does play out, but what Nolan has done is use that as a catalyst for the many adventures of Odysseus. This is a tale of a man who faced death many times, desperate to return to a world that was once his, if he could put together the pieces of his life to find that place.

Nolan’s love of playing with time is once again front and centre, as we jump from one part of the story to another and back again, and while it does cause a little confusion at the beginning, it becomes easier to watch the longer the film goes on. This is a film that takes nods to the classic epics of the 1950s and 60s, while also doffing a cap towards the old Ray Harryhausen adventures like Jason and the Argonauts. Except this film will leave you gasping at how the effects are created.

The set pieces are beyond spectacular, from the huge battle scenes to the encounter with the giant Cyclops. It does take a little time to get going, but this is a blessing, as we get to follow the various characters as well as get to grips with Nolan’s time-jumping style. Several moments stand out, like facing Cyclops, which is both impressive and somewhat scary, as well as facing the giant soldiers and the occasional glimpses of the actual Trojan War until it all becomes revealed.

Yet there is one scene that is an absolute masterpiece: when Odysseus’s army comes face to face with the mysterious Circe, a woman living on a remote island who offers the army food but with a deadly secret. The finale is also breathtaking in both its execution and as proof that Nolan is a master filmmaker.

The cast is stacked, and all give their best to the effort. Matt Damon is surprisingly good as Odysseus, while Anne Hathaway is incredibly strong as Penelope, with one particular speech that is spellbinding. There is one performance that steals the film. Samantha Morton has always been an outstanding actress, but her small role as Circe is worth seeing to be believed. It is one of the film’s high points and is worth the admission fee alone.

The Odyssey is incredible. At just under three hours, it never wastes an inch of film in either look of the storytelling. It harks back to films of old while still having its feet in this century. It is Nolan’s best film in years and could easily be his best film, full stop. A definite must-see.

5 out of 5

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Zendaya, Samantha Morton, Mia Goth, Himesh Patel, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Benny Safdie, Bill Irwin

Written by: Christopher Nolan and (based on The Odyssey) Homer

Running Time: 172 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 17th July 2026