Nolan’s Odyssey Faces a Scathing Review from Emily Wilson

Sun Sep 06 2026 13:23:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Emily Wilson sharply criticizes Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, labeling it gimmicky, shallow, and lacking depth, despite its box‑office success.

Sir Christopher Nolan’s epic film The Odyssey has dominated the box office and most critics, yet academic translator Emily Wilson has taken a vitriolic stance. Citing the film’s missing motivations, flawed character arcs, and superficial spectacle, Wilson calls the movie “gimmicky” and “abysmal.” She acknowledges Nolan’s role in sparking renewed interest in Homer but argues the adaptation falls flat on drama and emotional depth. While the film dazzles critics, Wilson’s review highlights a clash between cinematic grandiosity and literary fidelity.

Nolan’s Odyssey Faces a Scathing Review from Emily Wilson

Sir Christopher Nolan’s newest film, The Odyssey, has done wonders at the box‑office and racked up praise from many critics. Yet one voice from Ancient Greece has taken a very different view.

Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey

Emily Wilson’s Verdict

Published in the London Review of Books, Wilson’s scathing commentary labels the movie “gimmicky” and “abysmal.” She claims that the film’s quick cuts and flashy effects trick audiences while failing to give characters motivation, depth, or any sexual tension. Wilson even adds that the food on screen looks awful.

While Wilson praises Nolan for bringing Homer’s epic back into public conversation, she argues the movie “lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth.” She also criticises the film’s lack of nuanced female voices, calling out that none of the women have anything substantial to say compared to the original poem.

Reactions from Critics

Contrary to Wilson’s negative review, mainstream critics have lauded The Odyssey as a cinematic spectacle. Major outlets hail it as the “film of the year,” a “colossal piece of cinema,” and praise its star‑studded cast, including Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, and Charlize Theron.

What it Means for Film and Literature

Wilson suggests the film could influence new audiences to pick up a book instead of a dictaphone, and that “translations of Odyssey… are flying off the shelves.” She notes that the movie may reduce the risk of colleges cutting their literature and history departments.

The director himself highlighted Wilson’s 2017 line “Tell me about a complicated man” during his press tour, using it as inspiration for the film’s version of Odysseus.

Despite the mixed reviews, Wilson acknowledges her own teenager had a good time at the cinema, calling it a “family‑friendly audiovisual spectacle” equal to a Fourth of July fireworks display.