Emily Wilson, the classicist whose 2017 translation of Homer's Odyssey was cited by Christopher Nolan in early publicity for his blockbuster adaptation, has roundly criticised the film. In a scathing essay for the London Review of Books, Wilson writes that the film “has nothing convincing to say” and “lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth”.
Wilson's critique of Nolan's adaptation
Wilson, department chair and professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, notes that Nolan had praised her translation's opening line: “Tell me about a complicated man.” However, she adds: “I would be ashamed to have written any part of this script.” She describes the film as featuring Nolan's “usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality”, adding that “the film’s vision is too confused, its characters too underdeveloped, to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas – although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants.”
Lack of depth and poor writing
Wilson elaborates: “Nolan’s Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great. It has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior’s glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbours. Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible.”
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Wilson said: “It didn’t land emotionally for me at all. Which I think is partly about the fact that, unlike Homer, it’s not very well written. The characters don’t have the kind of depth the Homeric characters have. I felt, ‘Do I really care if this guy gets back to his wife?’ You haven’t given me any reason to.”
Acknowledging cultural impact
Despite her harsh criticism, Wilson acknowledged the film's positive impact on cultural awareness. She said: “The release of The Odyssey is still an event to celebrate. This epic is bringing audiences back to cinemas … translations of Odyssey, including mine, are flying off the shelves … [and] perhaps the film will persuade a few college administrators not to cut their literature, language and history departments.” She added: “Nolan is doing his best to get the general public reading again, and I am grateful.”
