Directed by Christopher Nolan (Following (1998); Memento (2000); Insomnia (2002); Batman Begins (2005); The Prestige (2006); The Dark Knight (2008); Inception (2010); The Dark Knight Rises (2012); Interstellar (2014); Dunkirk (2017); Tenet (2020); Oppenheimer (2023).
The film is starring Matt Damon (The Martian (2015); Oppenheimer (2023); The Departed (2006); Good Will Hunting (1997)), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021); The Impossible (2012); Cherry (2021); Uncharted (2022)), Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables (2012); The Devil Wears Prada (2006); Interstellar (2014); The Dark Knight Rises (2012)), Zendaya (Dune (2021); Dune: Part Two (2024); Challengers (2024); Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)), Robert Pattinson (The Batman (2022); The Lighthouse (2019); Tenet (2020); The Devil All the Time (2020)), Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave (2013); Us (2019); Black Panther (2018); A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)) and Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road (2015); Monster (2003); Atomic Blonde (2017); The Old Guard (2020)).
Action adventure fantasy; 173 mins; 16+
Released in 2026, this is Christopher Nolan's second-longest feature after Oppenheimer (180 minutes). With a reported production budget of around US$250 million (approximately €215 million), it has already been hailed by critics as one of 2026's best releases.
The story adapts Homer's ancient Greek epic, following Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his long journey back to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. His only goal is to return to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), while his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) searches for news of his missing father. Along the way, Odysseus is guided by the goddess Athena (Zendaya) but repeatedly challenged by Poseidon (Robert Pattinson), who is determined to prevent him from returning home.
The journey also brings encounters with mythical figures, including beasts, the cyclops, the sirens and others, combining historical and fantasy elements throughout the narrative. The film also stars Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, Mia Goth, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Cosmo Jarvis and Jesse Garcia.
Previous knowledge of Homer's Odyssey might help to understand the wider context, although the main storyline remains easy to follow even for viewers unfamiliar with Greek mythology. The film does not follow a strict chronology. Instead, the narrative unfolds gradually, moving between different timelines and settings as events slowly fall into place.
Set among vast landscapes of rough seas, steep cliffs and remote islands, the film constantly reminds the audience of the overwhelming power of nature. The seemingly never-ending conflicts faced by the characters are not only against one another, but also against gods, mythical creatures and the forces of nature itself, often highlighting just how powerless human force is in comparison.
Despite its runtime, the constant action makes the film fly by. Just when the story appears to settle, another conflict or obstacle pushes the narrative forward.
The cinematography is characterised by a predominantly cool colour palette, although it appears slightly warmer than some of the director's previous films.
Overall, I mostly admired Christopher Nolan's imagination behind the fantasy, as well as the storyline, which successfully combines numerous hand-sweating battle scenes (which are certainly not trying to be cut any short) with a traditional medieval love story at the heart of the narrative.
