Odyssey translator writes scathing review of Nolan film adaptation

**Odyssey Translator Pens Scathing Critique of Nolan's Film Adaptation**

While Sir Christopher Nolan's latest cinematic endeavor, "The Odyssey," has garnered widespread critical acclaim and achieved significant box office success, one prominent figure remains unimpressed. Emily Wilson, the scholar whose 2017 translation of Homer's "Odyssey" was acknowledged by Nolan as an influence on his adaptation, has published a scathing review of the film.

In her critique, featured in the *London Review of Books*, Wilson expressed profound dissatisfaction, stating she "would be ashamed to have written any of this script" and characterizing the film's narrative structure as "gimmicky." She further elaborated, "The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."

Wilson contended that the movie "lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth." However, she did concede that Sir Christopher's work has successfully reignited interest in Homer's ancient epic.

"The release of The Odyssey is still an event to celebrate," Wilson acknowledged. She observed that "This epic is bringing audiences back to cinemas... translations of Odyssey, including mine, are flying off the shelves... [and] perhaps the film will persuade a few college administrators not to cut their literature, language and history departments." Wilson concluded this point by stating, "Nolan... is doing his best to get the general public reading again, and I am grateful."

Despite these positive broader impacts, Wilson largely expressed disappointment with the three-hour epic. She had "hoped that Nolan's affinity with these Homeric themes might push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters." Instead, she found that "The Odyssey features his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality... the film's vision is too confused, its characters too underdeveloped, to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas – although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants."

Wilson also mentioned that her teenagers "had a good time" watching the blockbuster. She likened the film to "a family-friendly audiovisual spectacle, like an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display - and with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth." She noted the presence of "more female characters than in most Nolan movies, thanks to the source material. But none of them has much to say, in contrast to the characterisations in the poem."

During the film's press tour, Sir Christopher informed *Empire magazine* that he drew inspiration from the opening line of Wilson's translation, "Tell me about a complicated man," as a guiding principle for his portrayal of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon. Anne Hathaway portrays Penelope, Odysseus's wife, and mother to their son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland.

In stark contrast to Wilson's assessment, the latest adaptation has been met with enthusiastic reviews from film critics. This marks Nolan's first film since 2023's "Oppenheimer," which secured the Academy Award for Best Picture. *The Telegraph* hailed "The Odyssey" as the "film of the year," while *Metro* asserted that the movie would "change cinema forever." *The Times* lauded it as "a masterpiece in every way," and the *Standard* praised the film as a "colossal piece of cinema."

Released earlier this month, "The Odyssey" features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong'o. The narrative follows Odysseus (Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, on his arduous and perilous journey home from the Trojan War to reunite with his wife and son (Hathaway and Holland).