The First Reviews Just Dropped For "The Odyssey," And Everyone Is Saying This One Exact Thing

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Chris Nolan's The Odyssey premieres worldwide on Friday, July 17th. The highly anticipated film — which stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Himesh Patel, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron — is not only the first full-length movie entirely shot on IMAX film, but movie theaters like AMC are scheduling around-the-clock viewings, which are selling out in droves.

Now that the reviews embargo has officially been lifted, film critics have been publishing their thoughts — and folks, things are looking good!! So here's a no-spoiler roundup of what critics have been saying about The Odyssey.

1. Guy Lodge from Variety said: "A genuinely grand, gutsy vision, The Odyssey thrills generously for the bulk of its near three-hour running time: Every few minutes, it seems, it throws at its audience another mighty setpiece that, in almost any other summer studio spectacle, would be a climactic standout."

2. Scott Collura from IGN said, "While Odysseus’ emotional journey here can be as choppy as a rough day at sea, and the 'civilization is eroding' theme is undercooked, the film’s bigger observations on the effects of war on those who are forced to participate in it are well met. The Odyssey isn’t perfect, but it’s a pretty great moviegoing experience all the same."

3. Stephanie Zacharek from Time Magazine said, "...Nolan himself becomes dragged down by the details of his Odyssey. The poem, packed with events, with description, with magic and all manner of deceptions, is episodic by nature. How do you make this story flow and glide on-screen? Maybe you do it not by trying to pack everything in, but by cutting away, by focusing on the most potent, exciting, and moving details."

4. Caryn James from BBC said, "Oppenheimer, with its singular focus, is still Nolan's most perfectly wrought film. But even with its flaws, The Odyssey is so rich, so full of magic and humanity, that I'm eager to see this epic again."

5. Manohla Dargis from The New York Times said, "It is an anomalous big-studio entertainment that Nolan has filled with stars and polished to a high gleam, turning a 3,000-year-old poem into a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood allure."

6. Brian Truitt from USA Today said, "There are delights in every aspect of The Odyssey, from production design to costumes. (Benny Safdie’s helmet as Agamemnon should launch thousands of popcorn buckets.) That sort of all-around excellence is a staple in Nolan’s filmography, be it in The Dark Knight, Interstellar or Oppenheimer. The Odyssey is truly special even among those, though, making a 3,000-year-old story feel fresh and original again."

7. Amy Nicholson from The Los Angeles Times said, "Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon. Grabbing mighty scissors, he cuts and rejiggers Homer and a bit of Virgil to transform the classical texts into his type of tale: one fixated on memory, self-identity, destructive genius and the slippage of time."

8. David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter said, "While The Odyssey is uneven, and no match for the sure-footedness and intellectual complexity of Oppenheimer, it’s elevated by the blindingly charismatic ensemble."

9. Jamie from itsyourfilmsis said, "Epic in every sense of the word. From the scale of it all to the soul of it all, this film is an absolute beast. My deepest 'film bro' quality is that I am a Nolan fan through and through. I love the way he plays with time and puzzle-piecing a narrative, only to bring everything crashing together into place in the final act. It always leaves me floored — even on a rewatch. The Odyssey is no exception."

10. Elliott Collins from Movie Files said, "Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is a breathtaking epic with career-best filmmaking, stunning performances, and a powerful emotional core. Matt Damon shines, Ludwig Göransson’s score soars, and the spectacle is unforgettable."

11. Hoai-Tran Bui from Inverse: "A cinematic triumph. It’s a feat of blockbuster filmmaking that shows a director at the peak of his career, and his mournful testament to the hubris of humanity and the consequences of war."

12. Alex Harrison from Screen Rant said, "The Odyssey is gripping, fascinating, sometimes horrifying, and, just when it needs to be, quite moving. It's also very clearly a Christopher Nolan movie – so much so, in fact, that it made me realize he's been making grounded myths for some time."

13. Andrew J. Salazar from Discussing Film said, "Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is a marvelous achievement, one that feels more horrifyingly relevant to modern times than expected. Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway deliver career-defining performances among a highly memorable all-star ensemble."

Are you excited for The Odyssey? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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