The Odyssey First Reviews: Critics Call Christopher Nolan's Epic 'A Filmmaking Feast', Hail The Performances

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has earned glowing first reactions following its world premiere in London, with critics calling it the filmmaker’s finest work yet. Early viewers have praised the film’s scale, performances and ambitious take on Homer’s epic, with several describing it as one of the biggest cinematic events of the year.

The film premiered in London on Monday, where Christopher Nolan was joined on the red carpet by the cast, crew and a select group of critics from the US and the UK. Soon after the screening, social media was flooded with first impressions, and the consensus was overwhelmingly positive.

The Odyssey Reviews On X

Among the strongest reactions came from Rotten Tomatoes’ Erik Davis, who wrote, “Christopher Nolan’s #TheOdyssey

is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here. The production design is incredible, the action is breathtaking, and the scale is unlike anything he’s done before.”

He added, “What really surprised me is how much he embraces horror. Some of the film’s biggest moments are genuinely unsettling, adding a whole new dimension to his filmmaking while never losing sight of the humanity at the story’s core.”

He continued, “The cast is stacked, and somehow everyone still gets a chance to shine. Anne Hathaway is incredible, Matt Damon is excellent, and Tom Holland continues to prove he can do just about anything. But Robert Pattinson absolutely stole the show for me. He’s so conniving, manipulative and endlessly entertaining to watch. Pattinson leans all the way into the character’s villainy, and it results in one of my favorite performances of his. Look, it’s the must-see cinematic event of the summer — and quite possibly the year. I can’t wait to watch it again.”

Christopher Nolan's #TheOdyssey is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here. The production design is incredible, the action is… pic.twitter.com/yLxocUEEdn

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 6, 2026

Collider’s Peri Nemiroff also praised the film, writing, “A filmmaking feast. A grand and gripping rendition of Homer’s epic, and one that feels uniquely Christopher Nolan. It’s sincerely hard to imagine any other filmmaker on the planet being able to bring that source material to screen with this much scale, scope and heart.”

THE ODYSSEY is a filmmaking feast. A grand and gripping rendition of Homer’s epic, and one that feels uniquely Christopher Nolan. It’s sincerely hard to imagine any other filmmaker on the planet being able to bring that source material to screen with this much scale, scope and… pic.twitter.com/7jOO5Ch9ZZ

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) July 6, 2026

One point that stood out in several reactions was Nolan’s treatment of the supernatural and horror elements from Homer’s original text. Critics noted that the film embraces those moments while keeping the emotional core of Odysseus’ journey intact.

About The Odyssey: Plot And Cast

Matt Damon stars in The Odyssey as Odysseus, the Greek hero trying to find his way home to his wife, Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, and son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, after the Trojan War. The ensemble cast also includes Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page and Jon Bernthal.

The film has also marked a technical milestone for Christopher Nolan. The Odyssey is the first narrative feature to be shot entirely using IMAX cameras. Nolan told Empire magazine that the production used more than two million feet of film during its 91-day shoot.

The Odyssey India Release Date

The Odyssey releases in India on July 17, 2026, the same day as its worldwide theatrical release. It will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, including IMAX screens.