The Odyssey may have opened to stellar reviews from critics and audiences alike, but Christopher Nolan‘s take on the epic poem has not received a flawless reception from everyone. Academics proficient in the works of the ancient Greek poet have criticized the Academy Award-winning filmmaker for not staying true to the source material, specifically slamming Nolan for altering Odysseus’ character.
The Odyssey faces backlash for straying away from Homer’s poem
Renowned author and translator Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation of Homer’s poem has resurfaced following the release of The Odyssey. Recently, she shared her critique of the film, stating that Nolan excluded several core themes of the original literature.
While she celebrated a revived interest in the poem, Wilson noted, “I had the sense that Christopher Nolan was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem,” as per AP News.
Meanwhile, Daniel Mendelsohn, a fellow translator and author, called out Nolan for introducing an Odysseus with “no cleverness, no humor, no wily charm.” He further noted, “This tormented, guilt-ridden Odysseus, stripped of humor and wit, seductiveness and cleverness, is a sibling of Memento’s anguished amnesiac, of Batman, of Oppenheimer, men tormented by pasts they wrestle with in different ways. Nolan has merely remade Homer’s hero in his own image.”
Author Gareth Hinds, who has composed an accredited graphic novel adaptation of The Odyssey, blamed Christopher Nolan for turning Odysseus from a “wily trickster and smooth talker” to an “everyman who appears to be honorable, except in select situations which then continue to haunt him.”
The changes made to the lead character prompted Hinds to wonder if Nolan’s feature actually serves as an adaptation of Homer’s poem. “That’s one of many interesting things Nolan has left us to ponder,” he remarked.
Nevertheless, both Mendelsohn and Hinds admitted that the movie on its own was a “great visual panache,” with the latter describing it as a “powerful film.”
