Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey shuts down trailer backlash with rave first reactions

Everyone dunked on Christopher Nolan 's The Odyssey after the trailer — the look, the tone, Matt Damon as Odysseus — it all got dragged before the movie even touched a theater. Cut to the first press screenings, and the early word is so glowing it makes all that pre-release doomposting look pretty silly.

So... what are people actually saying?

Critics walked out buzzing. Collider's Perri Nemiroff called it a full-on feast of filmmaking. Andrew J. Salazar from Discussing Film went big with the superlatives too, labeling it a staggering achievement loaded with set pieces that are both spectacular and genuinely scary. Variety's Jazz Tangcay echoed that energy, calling it astonishing and a triumphant, massive epic. Across the board, people keep hammering the same points: enormous IMAX scale, real emotional heft, and a surprisingly unsettling dive into Greek mythology.

"Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement."

That particular mic drop came from Fandango's Erik Davis, who also said it feels like everything Nolan has been building toward with IMAX comes together here. Others chimed in with similar takeaways: critic Patrick urged you to do whatever you can to see it in IMAX 70mm, calling it strange, stunningly beautiful, and unlike anything Nolan has made before; Collider's Steven Weintraub said he was blown away, praised the performances across the board, and loved how fully the movie embraces the supernatural — again, with the strong IMAX 70mm recommendation.

The performances getting singled out

Matt Damon is pulling headline duty as Odysseus and, by early accounts, commanding the screen. Robert Pattinson, playing the scheming Antinous, is the other big talking point — Davis called the character conniving, manipulative, and wildly entertaining, and pegged it as one of Pattinson's best turns. Tom Holland is also earning kudos for bringing real warmth and vulnerability to Telemachus.

What kind of Nolan movie is this?

Here’s where it gets interesting. One early viewer said it might be Nolan's most straightforward movie — and somehow also his most impressive. Another called it totally unlike anything he has made before. Those thoughts can coexist: think epic and accessible, but also bold, eerie, and unafraid of the myth's stranger corners. One comparison that kept popping up: the sheer scale and attention to detail reminded a critic of Peter Jackson 's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not subtle praise.

The setup (for anyone who skipped Homer)

This is Odysseus fighting his way home after the Trojan War — a brutal, years-long trek back to his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway ), and his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland). The world of monsters, gods, and nightmares is very much in play, and Nolan apparently leans into it.

• Matt Damon as Odysseus
• Anne Hathaway as Penelope
• Tom Holland as Telemachus
• Robert Pattinson as Antinous
• Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, and Himesh Patel round out the ensemble

The tech flex (and why IMAX keeps coming up)

Nolan reportedly shot more than two million feet of film across a 91-day schedule, making The Odyssey the first narrative feature filmed entirely with IMAX cameras. Translation: it is built to be huge. That's why so many early reactions include some version of see it in IMAX 70mm.

The vibe shift from backlash to buzz

For months, the internet nitpicked costumes, dialogue, and trailer frames like they were solving a crime. Now that the actual movie is in front of people, the tone has flipped. One account even framed it as Nolan landing another summer smash — and if it hits anywhere near Oppenheimer levels, a lot of Those Tweets are going to age like milk.

Bottom line (and when you can see it)

The Odyssey has early viewers dropping words like astonishing, flawless, and perfection, with special love for the production design, the action, and the mythic, occasionally terrifying ride of it all. If this wave holds, the film might turn its loudest skeptics into its quietest audience.

The Odyssey opens July 17, 2026.