The scale serves the wound
The strongest notices treat the IMAX spectacle as a vessel for guilt, distance and the emotional damage of war.
In cinemas · 2026-07-17 · Directed by Christopher Nolan
The Odyssey
A homecoming carved from sea, war and memory.
Odysseus fights his way home from Troy while the family he left behind resists the men circling his throne.
Critics’ measure: 94/100
Established, based on 10 explicitly scored professional reviews; 11 reviews are linked in the full ledger.
Story and context
Old Hollywood, alive again
Several critics place the film in the lineage of large-format studio epics while praising the practical force of its landscapes and battles.
Admiration is not unanimity
Even the warm reviews note clunky passages and a familiar Nolan architecture beneath the ancient story.
Professional review ledger
- The Odyssey Review: Christopher Nolan's Massive Epic Is Both Exhausting And Exhilarating — Chris Evangelista, /Film, 2026-07-15 · 8/10 (80/100 normalized)
- Movie Review: In Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ an ancient epic is reborn — Jake Coyle, Associated Press, 2026-07-15 · 3.5/4 (87.5/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey review: Mythological filmmaking of the highest order — Jordan Farley, GamesRadar+, 2026-07-15 · 5/5 (100/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey Review: Christopher Nolan Turns A Timeless Myth Into Pure Cinema — Abira Dhar Rao, NDTV, 2026-07-15 · 4/5 (80/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan has done it again — Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com, 2026-07-15 · 4/4 (100/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey review – Nolan goes god-tier with breathtaking epic of men, monsters and moral metamorphosis — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 2026-07-15 · 5/5 (100/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey review – Christopher Nolan’s massive, fearless adaptation is his best film to date — Clarisse Loughrey, The Independent, 2026-07-15 · 5/5 (100/100 normalized)
- ‘The Odyssey’ Review: Christopher Nolan’s Monumental Epic Reckons With War’s Cost And The Terrible Ache Of Homecoming — Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist, 2026-07-15 · unscored
- The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan’s epic is a remarkable journey — Moira Macdonald, The Spokesman-Review, 2026-07-15 · 3.5/4 (87.5/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan expertly marshals steel and sinew in this breathtaking Homeric epic — Phil de Semlyen, Time Out, 2026-07-15 · 5/5 (100/100 normalized)
- The Odyssey is the best movie of 2026 so far — and maybe topples my favorite Christopher Nolan film — Malcolm McMillan, Tom’s Guide, 2026-07-15 · 5/5 (100/100 normalized)
Official trailer
The Odyssey | Official Trailer · Universal Pictures