Emily Wilson’s Odyssey review calls Christopher Nolan’s film shallow and badly written, even as the movie boosts interest in Homer’s epic.
Emily Wilson’s Odyssey review has put Christopher Nolan’s new film under a harsh spotlight. Wilson, whose 2017 translation of Homer’s Odyssey Nolan has cited as an influence, said the director’s adaptation left her deeply unimpressed, even though the movie has been drawing strong reviews and box office attention.
Writing in the London Review of Books, Wilson said she would be ashamed to have written the script and dismissed the story structure as gimmicky. She also argued that the writing was poor, that the characters had no convincing motivation, and that the film lacked psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. In her view, the movie offered spectacle without real substance, with too much emphasis on big visual moments and too little on meaningful drama.
Wilson’s criticism was blunt, but it was not entirely dismissive of the film’s wider effect. She said the release of The Odyssey should still be seen as an event worth celebrating because it has brought audiences back to cinemas and sent translations of Homer’s poem, including her own, flying off the shelves. She also suggested the film might even persuade some college administrators not to cut literature, language and history departments. Nolan, she wrote, is helping the public read again, and for that she is grateful.
“Emily Wilson’s Odyssey review calls Christopher Nolan’s film shallow and badly written, even as the movie boosts interest in Homer’s epic.”
That mix of praise and rejection runs through her review. Wilson said she had hoped Nolan’s interest in Homeric themes would lead to more convincing characters and stronger creative work. Instead, she described the film as grand but shallow, with a confused vision and underdeveloped characters that do not fully deliver on the big ideas it seems to promise. She also compared it to a family-friendly audiovisual display, saying her teenagers enjoyed it, but adding that its emotional depth was roughly the same as a Fourth of July fireworks show.
Wilson also took issue with the film’s treatment of women. Her response stands out because Nolan publicly pointed to her translation while promoting the project, saying he used its opening line, “Tell me about a complicated man,” as a guide for his Odysseus, played by Matt Damon.
The debate matters because The Odyssey sits at the meeting point of prestige filmmaking and classic literature. Nolan’s film has already been greeted by rapturous notices from other critics, with outlets calling it the film of the year, a masterpiece, and a colossal work of cinema. At the same time, Wilson’s review highlights a familiar fault line in big-budget adaptations: a movie can win praise for scale and still leave readers of the original unconvinced. For American audiences, the takeaway is simple: when a blockbuster sends people back to Homer, the cultural ripple can be as significant as the box office haul.
Frequently asked questions
What did Emily Wilson think of Nolan’s Odyssey film overall?
She was deeply unimpressed and said she would be ashamed to have written the script. She described the film as grand but shallow, with poor writing and underdeveloped characters.
What specific criticisms did Wilson make of the film?
She called the story structure gimmicky and said the movie lacked psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. She also criticized its treatment of women.
Did Wilson see any value in the film at all?
Yes. She said the release of The Odyssey should be celebrated because it brought audiences back to cinemas and helped sell more copies of Homer translations, including her own.
How is Wilson connected to Nolan’s film?
Nolan had cited Wilson’s 2017 translation of Homer’s Odyssey as an influence. He said he used its opening line, “Tell me about a complicated man,” as a guide for his Odysseus.
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