The Odyssey Fan Reaction: Critics Praise It, Casting Sparks Debate
Film enthusiasts are deeply divided over Christopher Nolan's creative direction in his highly anticipated IMAX adaptation of the Greek epic.
YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Critics are largely praising “The Odyssey,” with Rotten Tomatoes showing 98% approval and Metacritic a score of 88 based on early reviews.
- The film’s full IMAX-format cinematography and lead performances, including Matt Damon’s, have drawn particular praise from reviewers.
- A separate, months-long online debate has centered on casting choices — notably Lupita Nyong’o playing both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, and Elliot Page’s casting as the soldier Sinon.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” opens in theaters Friday, arriving with two very different conversations attached to it.
Critics who have seen the film are, with few exceptions, calling it one of the year’s best. Online, however, months of debate over casting and adaptation choices have left segments of the audience approaching the release with skepticism rather than anticipation.
Both reactions are real, and both are documented, but they are not measuring the same thing. Here’s what’s confirmed, what critics are saying, what audiences are debating, and what remains speculation.
“The Odyssey” follows Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, on his years-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, reuniting with his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland).
The cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, Jon Bernthal and Himesh Patel, among others.
Early reviews compiled by Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic have been largely favorable. Variety’s Peter Debruge described the film as a “genuinely grand, gutsy vision” that sustains its nearly three-hour runtime with one large-scale set piece after another.
RogerEbert.com’s Matt Zoller Seitz gave the film a four-star rave, and The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw called it a story of “postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence.”
Not every review was unqualified praise, IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote that the film is “too clunky to be S-tier Nolan,” though he added that its final act “rewards the journey.”
Trade coverage has noted that “The Odyssey” is the first film shot entirely in the IMAX format, a technical distinction several critics pointed to when praising its visual scale, comparing it to the scope of Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Alongside that critical reception, a different conversation has played out on social media since the film’s casting was first announced.
Some commentators, including businessman Elon Musk and conservative commentator Matt Walsh, criticized Nolan’s decision to cast Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, arguing it departed from how the character is typically depicted.
Other social media users incorrectly claimed Page had been cast as Achilles. He in fact plays the soldier Sinon. Additional criticism online targeted musician Travis Scott’s casting as a bard and the design of the film’s armor and dialogue in marketing materials.
One entertainment outlet, Outkick, reported that the film’s final trailer had accumulated roughly 542,000 dislikes online, citing it as evidence of audience frustration with the casting choices.
That figure has not been independently verified by other outlets, and dislike counts on trailers are not a standard measure of a film’s eventual box office performance or audience reception.
Nolan addressed the debate in an interview with The Telegraph, saying discussions “that happen before people see the film” are “always irrelevant, because no one having them knows what the film actually is yet.”
He drew a comparison to criticism he faced while adapting Batman for his “Dark Knight” trilogy, saying fans of a property often come around once they see a sincere attempt at adaptation, even when it differs from what they expected.
Some early reporting included initial box office projections suggesting a domestic opening between $80 million and $100 million.
Those figures were estimates made before release and had not been confirmed by actual ticket sales as of this writing. Similarly, early commentary from some critics has floated the film as a potential Best Picture contender, but that is a critical opinion and awards speculation, not a confirmed outcome.
What’s confirmed: “The Odyssey” has received strong reviews from professional critics and stands out technically for its full IMAX production.
What’s also confirmed: real, monthslong online debate has surrounded several of its casting choices, separate from the critical response.
Whether that online debate affects how general audiences receive the film once it’s widely seen will become clearer only after its release Friday.
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