Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' has premiered to rave reviews, with critics calling it a 'colossal achievement' and a strong contender for best picture, highlighting its breathtaking scale, innovative use of IMAX, and standout performances from Matt Damon and Robert Pattinson.
Christopher Nolan's three-hour epic, 'The Odyssey,' an adaptation of Homer's poem, has world premiered to widespread critical acclaim. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as 'a colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence.' IndieWire's Anne Thompson hailed it as the 'best picture contender to beat,' praising its 'stunningly mounted' production and suggesting Matt Damon 'could win best actor.' Many pundits called the film 'flawless' and 'breathtaking,' with particular praise for Robert Pattinson's villainous Antinous. Erik Davis lauded it as 'an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement,' noting its exclusive use of large-format IMAX cameras, incredible production design, breathtaking action, and a surprising embrace of horror elements. Davis also highlighted strong performances from Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, and Tom Holland, but singled out Pattinson for 'stealing the show' with his 'conniving, manipulative and endlessly entertaining' portrayal. Matt Neglia called it 'a colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan’s standards,' while David Ehrlich found it 'surprisingly natural' and 'less despairing' than 'Oppenheimer,' though he noted it was 'too clunky to be S-tier Nolan' but that 'the last act rewards the journey.' Classical historian Tom Holland (no relation to the actor) defended the film, calling it 'by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen.' With an estimated budget of $250m, the film needs to gross at least $500m to break even, but early signals suggest a strong box office performance.
