Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey is being lauded by critics, despite MAGA’s attempts to condemn the film before it was even made public.
Variety called it “an astonishing achievement,” adding that the performances from the star-studded cast were “genuinely grand.” The Independent said, “In The Odyssey, Nolan showcases visual trickery in a way you’ve never seen a few before.” Time Out’s film critic declared the film is a “dizzying mix of craft and spectacle that’s built to last,” and described it as “dense but accessible, packed with career-best work from the stacked cast.”
IndieWire’s editor-at-large predicted Best Actor award nominations for Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus. Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes movie critic Erik Davis deemed the 3-hour spectacle an “absolute triumph” and crowned Oscar winner Nolan “one of the great filmmakers of our time.”
Critics released their rave reviews after the film’s much-anticipated premiere in London on Monday night, coupled with a few early screenings in the U.S., the Guardian reports.
Damon stars alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Anne Hathaway, and Lupita Nyong’o.
Nolan’s casting sparked a premature MAGA uproar, with weeks of disparaging posts on social media. The film’s reviews have similarly ignited outrage among conservative pundits and so-called “patriotic” X users, whose complaints boil down to a single qualm: that the film is “woke.”
Right-wing radio host Jesse Kelly posted a reaction to trans actor Elliot Page’s red carpet appearance, writing in response, “I have loved the story of The Odyssey since I was a small child. My parents bought me a kid-friendly version of Greek mythology. As I got older, I read the real version many times. Do you know how hard you’d have to work to get me to NOT see this? And yet, they did it.” Page reportedly plays the Greek soldier Sinon in the film.
Another user, @C_3C_3, who boasts over 300,000 followers on X, wrote on Tuesday, “Christopher Nolan deserves the absolute humiliating flop that’s coming his way for what he did to Homer’s masterpiece. Let it be a lesson.” X user @Patriota_81 similarly lambasted the film, writing, “The Odyssey is going to bomb so hard and the woke cast is going to push it off the cliff!”
For months, the likes of Newsmax host Rob Finnerty and MAGA trillionaire Elon Musk have spearheaded a campaign against the film, criticizing the casting of Page and Nyong’o, who plays Helen of Troy. Finnerty complained on his eponymous show in May, “The role of Achilles will reportedly be played by Elliot Page. Looks like a guy—formerly Ellen Page, meaning the most famous warrior in history, not just Greek history—all of history—Achilles is about to be played by a transgender woman.”
Musk, meanwhile, replied to dozens of X posts criticizing the film, agreeing with the critics and condemning Nolan for casting Nyong’o as Helen, whom the epic describes as “the most beautiful woman in the world.” The posts led actor Alec Baldwin to publicly denounce the tech mogul on Instagram.
Despite MAGA’s gripes, the film is likely to be a hit. Audiences have long awaited the IMAX film, purchasing tickets a year in advance. Last month, AMC’s mobile application crashed due to high demand.
The Odyssey will officially release in theaters on July 17.
