London: Sir Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, may have won rave reviews from critics and done storming business at the box office - but one person is definitely not happy. Emily Wilson, the academic whose 2017 translation of Homer's Odyssey was cited by the director as an influence on his adaptation of the poem, has written a scathing review of the movie.
According to Ghana Web, Wilson's review was published in the London Review of Books, where she expressed her dissatisfaction with the film's narrative structure, describing it as "gimmicky." She stated, "The writing is abysmal," criticizing the lack of convincing motivation for the characters and the absence of sex scenes, while also noting the unappealing depiction of food in the film. Wilson further commented on the film's lack of psychological, emotional, political, and ethical depth.
Despite her criticisms, Wilson acknowledged that Sir Christopher's film has sparked renewed interest in Homer's classic. She noted, "The release of The Odyssey is still an event to celebrate," mentioning how the film has brought audiences back to cinemas and increased sales of translations of the Odyssey, including her own. Wilson expressed gratitude for Nolan's efforts in encouraging the general public to read again.
The Odyssey is Sir Christopher Nolan's first film since the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer. However, Wilson was disappointed by the three-hour epic, noting that the film featured Nolan's usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality. She described the film as having a confused vision and underdeveloped characters, failing to deliver on its promise of big ideas.
Wilson remarked that her teenagers enjoyed the movie, describing it as a "family-friendly audiovisual spectacle" akin to an elaborate fireworks display, albeit lacking in narrative and emotional depth. She noted the film included more female characters than most Nolan movies due to the source material, but criticized their lack of substantial dialogue compared to their characterizations in the poem.
During his press tour for the film, Sir Christopher mentioned to Empire magazine that he used the opening line of Wilson's translation ("Tell me about a complicated man") as a guide for his portrayal of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon. The film features Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Odysseus's wife, and Tom Holland as their son, Telemachus.
In contrast to Wilson's review, The Odyssey has received enthusiastic acclaim from film critics, with The Telegraph calling it the "film of the year" and Metro stating 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, released earlier this month, stars Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, alongside Nyong'o and Damon. It follows Odysseus (Damon) on his perilous journey home from the Trojan War to reunite with his wife and son (Hathaway and Holland).