Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey had its world premiere in London on July 6, and The Odyssey first reactions from critics and the press are now out. The response is overwhelmingly positive, with multiple reviewers calling it the most ambitious and spectacular film of Nolan’s career. The film releases in theatres and IMAX worldwide on July 17.
The words being used in the first reactions are not small ones. Critics have called The Odyssey “staggering,” “a crowning cinematic achievement,” “a spectacular epic,” and Nolan’s biggest film to date. Several reviewers noted that they have already seen it twice and say it gets better with each viewing, which is a very strong early signal for the film’s long-term legs at the box office.
The premiere itself was held at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, and the atmosphere in the auditorium was described by several attendees as electric. Universal had kept the film tightly under wraps until the very last moment, with no advance screenings and no early press access, meaning the London premiere was the first time anyone outside the production had seen it. That level of secrecy only added to the excitement in the room.
One theme runs consistently through nearly every reaction: the sheer scale of the film. Multiple critics noted that The Odyssey has more large-scale set pieces than any previous Nolan film and that every one of them is breathtaking in its own way. The battle sequences at Troy were singled out repeatedly as some of the most visually stunning work in the film. The score was described as soul-rattling, the kind that hits you physically in a cinema. One critic pointed out that the film also contains something that has never appeared in a Nolan film before—a fully fleshed-out horror sequence—and called it genuinely chilling.
The cast has been one of the most talked-about aspects of The Odyssey since it was announced, and the first reactions suggest it lives up to the hype. Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus, has been singled out for delivering the best performance of his career. Robert Pattinson, as the villainous suitor Antinous, has been described as the one who steals the show, with one critic saying he absolutely owned every scene he appeared in. Matt Damon was praised as excellent in the lead role of Odysseus, while Anne Hathaway was called incredible as Penelope. Zendaya, taking on the role of the goddess Athena, has also been counted among the ensemble drawing praise from early reactions, adding another notable performance to a cast already stacked with awards-calibre talent.
Two slightly surprising standouts have also emerged. Lupita Nyong’o’s dual performance has received strong praise, while Samantha Morton, who plays a smaller supporting role, has been described as the one who steals the show despite having limited screen time, with one critic calling her extraordinary.
Several reactions drew comparisons to Oppenheimer, Nolan’s previous film, which won Best Picture at the Oscars. One critic described The Odyssey as a surprisingly natural follow-up, a story about a man haunted by defying the gods and trying to atone for his mistakes, similar in theme to Oppenheimer but less despairing in tone. Not every reaction was completely without reservation. One reviewer noted that the film is occasionally too clunky to sit alongside Nolan’s very best work, but even that review acknowledged that the final act fully rewards the journey and that the film builds to something as good as anything he has ever done.
The Odyssey is the first film in history to be shot entirely in the IMAX format, and critics who saw it in IMAX 70mm were emphatic on one point: see it that way if you possibly can. Multiple reviewers described it as a jaw-dropping experience in that format and said the difference between IMAX and a regular screen for this specific film is genuinely significant. Universal made the unusual decision to skip influencer screenings entirely, meaning critics and members of the press at the London premiere were among the very first people outside the production to see the film.
The Odyssey opens worldwide in theatres and IMAX on July 17, including in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil in India. If the first reactions are anything to go by, this is the cinematic event of the summer.
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