Christopher Nolan's three-hour adaptation of Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, world premiered in London on Monday night, and early reactions from critics have been overwhelmingly positive. The film, shot entirely on large-format Imax film cameras, is already being hailed as a major Oscar contender.
Critical Acclaim and Performance Praise
Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian described the film as 'a colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead.' IndieWire editor-at-large Anne Thompson called it the Best Picture contender to beat, adding that Matt Damon 'could win Best Actor.' 'My high expectations were met,' she said, calling the film 'stunningly mounted.'
Multiple pundits described the film as 'flawless' and 'breathtaking,' with Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the villainous Antinous singled out for particular praise. Erik Davis called the film 'an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great film-makers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with Imax has culminated here.'
Production Design and Horror Elements
Davis highlighted the production design as 'incredible,' the action as 'breathtaking,' and the scale as 'unlike anything he's done before.' He noted Nolan's embrace of horror: 'Some of the film's biggest moments are genuinely unsettling, adding a whole new dimension to his film-making while never losing sight of the humanity at the story's core.'
Davis also praised the cast: 'Anne Hathaway is incredible, Matt Damon is excellent, and Tom Holland continues to prove he can do just about anything. But Robert Pattinson absolutely stole the show for me. He's so conniving, manipulative and endlessly entertaining to watch.'
Scale and Comparisons to Oppenheimer
Matt Neglia called the film 'a colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan's standards.' IndieWire's David Ehrlich described it as 'surprisingly natural' and 'less despairing' than Nolan's Oppenheimer, which swept the 2023 Oscars and grossed nearly $1 billion. However, Ehrlich noted the film was 'too clunky to be S-tier Nolan, but the last act rewards the journey.'
Classical historian Tom Holland (unrelated to the actor) defended the film on X, saying: 'I've now watched it twice, and it is by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen. It honours Homer while simultaneously making something new of him.'
Box Office Prospects
With an estimated budget of $250 million and a considerable worldwide tour to fund, the film will need to gross at least $500 million to break even. Signals suggest strong audience appetite, bolstered by blockbusters like Toy Story 5 and low-budget hits such as Backrooms and Obsession. The full reviews embargo lifts next Wednesday ahead of the film's worldwide release next Friday.
