Emily Wilson, the academic whose 2017 translation of Homer's Odyssey was cited by Sir Christopher Nolan as an influence on his adaptation, has written a scathing review of the filmmaker's latest release, The Odyssey. Published in the London Review of Books, she criticised the three-hour epic despite acknowledging that it has helped renew interest in Homer’s classic and bring audiences back to cinemas.
Wilson said she "would be ashamed to have written any of this script", describing the film’s narrative structure as "gimmicky." She also called the writing "abysmal" and said the movie lacked psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. At the same time, she noted that Sir Christopher's work was still an event to celebrate.
"I would be ashamed to have written any of this script"
"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."
"It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth,"
"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.
"Nolan... is doing his best to get the general public reading again, and I am grateful."
Wilson said she had hoped Nolan's interest in Homeric themes would push him to new creative heights and lead to more believable characters. Instead, she said The Odyssey shows his usual blend of grandiosity and superficiality, with a vision she described as too confused and characters too underdeveloped to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas.
"I had hoped that Nolan's affinity with these Homeric themes might push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters,"
"But The Odyssey features his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality... 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."
Wilson added that her teenagers had "had a good time" seeing the blockbuster in cinemas, but said the film was a family-friendly audiovisual spectacle with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth as an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display. She also said there are more female characters than in most Nolan films because of the source material, but that none of them has much to say compared with their characterisations in the poem.
"had a good time"
"It's a family-friendly audiovisual spectacle, like an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display - and with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth,"
"There are more female characters than in most Nolan movies, thanks to the source material. But none of them has much to say, in contrast to the characterisations in the poem."
Sir Christopher told Empire magazine during the film's press tour that he used the opening line of Wilson's translation — "Tell me about a complicated man" — as a guide for his Odysseus, played by Matt Damon. The film also stars Himesh Patel as Eurylochus and Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus.
The Odyssey is Sir Christopher Nolan's first film since the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, which won the Academy Award for best picture in 2023. In contrast to Wilson's view, the latest adaptation has received rapturous reviews from film critics and strong box office business.
The Telegraph declared The Odyssey the "film of the year", while Metro said it would "change cinema forever". The Times described it as "a masterpiece in every way", and the Standard praised it as a "colossal piece of cinema". The film was released earlier this month and stars Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong'o.
The story follows Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca played by Damon, on his long and perilous journey home from the Trojan War to rescue his wife Penelope and son Telemachus, played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland. Wilson's review was published while the film continued to draw widespread attention, with translations of Odyssey, including hers, said to be flying off the shelves.
Anne Hathaway plays Odysseus's wife Penelope, who is also mother to their son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland. Nolan's adaptation has also prompted renewed discussion of Homer’s poem and of the role of literature, language and history departments, which Wilson said the film might encourage some college administrators not to cut.
Wilson's criticism, published in the London Review of Books, came after Nolan's press tour comments and alongside the film's strong critical reception. While she said she was grateful that Nolan is doing his best to get the general public reading again, she remained sharply disappointed with the film itself.
"Tell me about a complicated man"
"film of the year"
"change cinema forever"
"a masterpiece in every way"
"colossal piece of cinema"
"Tell me about a complicated man"
Key Facts
- Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation of Homer’s Odyssey influenced Nolan, published her review in the London Review of Books.
- She criticised the film’s script, characters and emotional depth, while still welcoming the renewed attention to Homer.
- The Odyssey is Nolan’s first film since Oppenheimer, which won best picture at the Academy Awards in 2023.
- The movie stars Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong'o.
- The film was released earlier this month and has drawn rave reviews from critics despite Wilson’s assessment.
