Christopher Nolan Finds Another Gear

Posted in: Movies, Review | Tagged: anne hathaway, christopher nolan, Hoyte van Hoytema, Ludwig Göransson, matt damon, the odyssey, tom holland, universal

The Odyssey shows that Christopher Nolan is one of our most treasured filmmakers and that he was hiding another gear from us.

Article Summary

The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan at full power, a grand, emotionally rich epic that ranks among his very best films.

Shot entirely with IMAX cameras, The Odyssey delivers breathtaking scale, terror, spectacle, and unforgettable event filmmaking.

Matt Damon anchors The Odyssey with career-best work, backed by a stacked cast bringing new depth and edge throughout.

Ludwig Göransson’s electrifying score and Nolan’s art-blockbuster balance make The Odyssey a major 2026 awards contender.

The Odyssey is one of the most anticipated films of 2026, and with good reason. Christopher Nolan is the first modern filmmaker to reach the commercial and critical heights achieved by only a select few before him. Spielberg, Scorsese, Kubrick, Scott. Nolan is a brand on his own now, and after conquering the world with Oppenheimer, he returns to theaters with his take on the most epic story ever told. Thankfully, his version is worth the hoops many have had to jump through to see it. Grand in every sense of the word, this is one of his best films, a marvel to watch, and proof that Nolan has reached a new gear in his filmmaking career.

Matt Damon as Odysseus stands in armor at a crowded ancient Greek encampment beside a ship. — Matt Damon is Odysseus in THE ODYSSEY, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The Odyssey Is Event Filmmaking At Its Finest

The first film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, Nolan makes sure, from the first shot to the last, that those of us lucky enough to see it in that format will never forget the experience. Vast horizons are the norm, with some of the most breathtaking locations you will see on a screen this summer, or this year, really. The grandeur he brings to his version of Odysseus’s journey (Matt Damon) is a bit surprising. How could someone of the stature of Nolan hide this gear from us? The sheer terror of the cyclops. The raw emotions of the men under Odysseus’s command when lost at sea. The body horror of the witch in the cabin. You can feel how much fun and joy he is having as he puts himself out there in ways he never has before. He has always felt a need to respect the material he works with, but here he found a new level of appreciation for it. This is the most expensive fan film ever made, a love letter to the sword-and-sandals dramas and the classic claymation versions of these stories we all watched on Saturday-afternoon midday movies, curled up on the couch. Watching this is like putting on a creature feature warm blanket.

The Odyssey wouldn’t work, though, without a successful performance in the center, and by recrafting Odysseus for a modern audience, Damon becomes indispensable instead of horribly miscast. This version of the character feels the weight of his decisions and of how he has changed the world through his actions, not necessarily for the better. Damon does some of the best work of his long career here, rising to the occasion and challenge of a role that a younger version of himself probably couldn’t have played. He is the old school Hollywood hero that many thought he couldn’t pull off. The standout performers are spread throughout the exhaustive cast; they all bring their “A” game. Never has Robert Pattinson been more detestable; Tom Holland has never had this hint of edge to him. Anne Hathaway commands your attention in ways she never has before. Everyone who got the call to come work with Nolan said yes, and they all knew they couldn’t fail the assignment. Himesh Patel, Ryan Hurst, John Leguizamo, and Samantha Morton are all standouts as well.

The glue that holds it all together, the film’s secret weapon, and a shoo-in for awards this year is Ludwig Göransson’s score. It is loud, exciting, and full of life. It breathes so much energy into The Odyssey and helps slow down and speed up the story as needed. Really pay attention to it during the Cyclops sequence. This is also where cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shines. The use of light and shadow is another level of brilliance, and outside of Project Hail Mary, this is as good as we are going to see this year.

Aside from a bit of a pacing issue in the middle, where the story spreads a bit thin, this is a perfect melding of art film and blockbuster and will take its rightful place near the top of Nolan’s films, especially with multiple viewings. If someone told me that The Odyssey was their favorite Nolan film, I would believe them. If one were to put Oppenheimer on top, we would disagree, but I could understand that as well. The greats will always have their catalog debated until the end of time, and that is what makes them someone worth arguing over; there is no right answer. The hope is that as they release their work, we keep adding the titles to our lists of indispensable art. Nolan is such an artist, and at this pace, his list is going to be a long one to rattle off to each other.

(For this review, The Odyssey was presented and viewed in the IMAX format)