The Odyssey (2026)

With a runtime hitting just under the three-hour mark, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ hums along like an electric vehicle on the highway.

In many ways it is exactly what I expected, but in a few surprising ways, it is not.

With a story so dense, of course there will be omissions from the text, and Nolan weaves through these with ease... and the film is still just under three hours long but doesn't feel it.

I had the pleasure of my first viewing being on 70mm film on a standard screen, and the film looked stunning. If there is any chance to see this on a larger format, please seek it out. For the fourth time, Nolan has teamed up with Hoyte van Hoytema behind the lens, and what comes out of that IMAX film setup is something to behold.

Jennifer Lame cuts the film yet again for Nolan, and this is the first time I found the editing a little jarring... but only in the first act... and maybe that was intentional. I will reevaluate after a second viewing.

While the first act seems to drag a little bit, once Nolan sets us off on the journey home, the film ramps up to eleven, and it truly sings. There is some body horror that makes me really want a Nolan horror film, some truly haunting scenes, and a third-act set piece that is one of his best. Think sword and sandal John Wick.

The acting, as per usual, is top tier and none more so than Matt Damon as Odysseus. I didn't miss any accents and actually loved the choice just to let the actors act. Anne Hathaway has one scene to really shine, and shine she does!!

The parallels between Oppenheimer and Odysseus are glaring, coming from the mind of Nolan. And while Oppenheimer remains a better overall film in my mind, Nolan's 'Odyssey' is a throwback Hollywood blockbuster done in his signature style with visuals unmatched intoday's cinema!