Is The Odyssey Any Good

Overview

This video is a first-impressions review of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” The speaker says it’s very good, but not Nolan’s best and not a “masterpiece.”

What Stands Out / Main Takeaways

• Trailers felt misleading

  • The marketing leaned heavily on A-list star power (big-name cast being prominently featured in promos).
  • This made the reviewer worry the film would be “flat and hollow.”
  • They’re relieved that the movie doesn’t turn out that way.

• Big names aren’t used much

  • A recurring pattern: several famous actors have small roles and limited screen time, despite prominent promo visibility.
  • Examples called out:
    • Zoe Zaldana: fewer than 10 lines and only a handful of scenes, yet she’s still treated as a major figure (Athena).
    • Travis Scott: appears in only two scenes, despite major marketing attention.
    • Elliot Page: also only shows up in a few scenes.
  • The reviewer wonders why so much money is spent for such limited presence, then answers it themselves: “it’s Nolan”—actors want to work with him, and it helps sell tickets.

• Big consistent complaint: sound mixing

  • The reviewer’s main issue is Nolan’s audio.
  • Dialogue is sometimes hard to understand and gets swallowed by the mix.
  • They compare the problem to a similar issue they felt in Oppenheimer.
  • It doesn’t “ruin” the film, but it reduces immersion and can make lines frustratingly unclear.

• Spectacle feels genuinely crafted

  • The film’s visuals impressed the reviewer: practical effects, real sets, real props, and on-location shooting.
  • They expected more CGI than what they got.
  • Cyclops sequence: singled out as a standout set piece—an animatronic puppet with CGI touch-ups, creating tense, almost horror-like suspense.

• Story focus

  • The film centers on Odysseus and his crew trying to get home, following the events of Troy.
  • Side threads involve Penelope and the suitors, plus gods/magic.
  • The reviewer says the supernatural elements stay grounded rather than turning cheesy.

Performances

• Matt Damon as Odysseus

  • Mostly stoic and steady for much of the runtime.
  • The reviewer notes larger emotional/acting peaks later (especially the final stretch).
  • They don’t expect an Oppenheimer-level showcase from the lead, but believe Damon lands the key emotional beats—particularly reunion with Penelope and the moral/psychological fallout of Troy.

• Robert Pattinson as a villain

  • A real standout, praised specifically for intensity.

• Anne Hathaway as Penelope

  • Also praised as doing a strong job.

Biggest Writing Complaint

• Modern dialogue in an ancient setting
  • The reviewer criticizes the screenplay for jarring modern phrasing that doesn’t fit the period.
  • Tom Holland’s character is used as an example—repeatedly asking about where his father is in a way that feels out of tone and pulls viewers from the world the film is trying to establish.
  • They argue it’s not simply about avoiding archaic language, but about making dialogue sound more powerful and appropriate to the setting.

Action / “Battle Size” Hype

• The reviewer says the action is generally good, but disputes interviews implying huge armies.
• They claim the scale is nowhere near “a thousand people” battles as marketed—most sequences look much smaller.
• The largest confrontation they point to is the man-eating giant race encounter on an island, which they estimate at tens of fighters, not massive armies.
• They clarify the trailer’s “Let’s go” moment: it’s not a heroic rally cry—it’s framed as urgency, like escaping the giants.

Final Verdict

Overall, the reviewer concludes that “The Odyssey” is a very good movie—praised for practical effects and engaging adventure energy—but held back from greatness by:

1. Sound mixing / dialogue clarity
2. Modern-feeling dialogue
3. Marketing hype vs. actual role/screen time/action scale

Notable Personalities Mentioned

• Christopher Nolan
• Matt Damon (Odysseus)
• Anne Hathaway (Penelope)
• Robert Pattinson (villain)
• Zoe Zaldana (Athena)
• Travis Scott
• Elliot Page
• Tom Holland