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Don't get me wrong, I really liked 'Oppenheimer', and I enjoyed 'Dunkirk', but neither reached the heights of 'Tenet' for me. I know Tenet divides opinion, but I absolutely loved it. Yes, Nolan maybe pushed audiences a little too hard with that one, but I was completely on board.
This? Halfway through, I genuinely wasn't. Something just wasn't clicking. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but I remember thinking, "This isn't connecting with me at all."
Then something happened. It's like someone flipped a switch.
By the time the credits rolled, I'd gone from questioning whether this was for me to walking out saying, "That was amazing." Let me explain.
The story opens on a beach, where Elliott Page's character encounters advancing soldiers near the Trojan Horse. Fatally wounded, they manage to utter one final warning—that the horse is a gift. Naturally, the Trojans accept it. From there, Nolan does what Nolan does best, jumping across timelines as we're introduced to Odysseus' home, his family, the aftermath of the war, his legendary bow, and the trials he and his men must endure on their long journey home, all while exploring his defiance of the gods and the consequences of his choices.
I'll be honest—I don't know The Odyssey particularly well. I know bits and pieces, but it's been years since I've revisited the story, and I genuinely wondered whether my lack of familiarity was hurting my enjoyment. Maybe it was that. Maybe it was simply the way the narrative unfolded. Whatever it was, I wasn't invested... until I suddenly was.
By the final act, I was completely hooked. In fact, if one particular moment had gone the way I feared it might, I'd have wanted to flip a table in the cinema. There weren't any tables, thankfully, but the rage would've been real.
I genuinely have no major negatives.
The Cyclops sequence was the first moment that completely floored me. Without venturing into spoiler territory, the design alone was enough to make me feel genuinely uncomfortable. It was unlike any Cyclops I've seen on screen before, and it was honestly terrifying.
Then there are the giants in the forest.
You've seen them in the trailers. You've seen them on the posters. Trust me... you haven't seen them. That entire sequence is astonishing.
But the standout moment of the entire film comes later. It's graphic, brutal, incredibly tense and, in my opinion, the best scene in the entire movie. I was completely captivated. Matt Damon's Odysseus has spent the whole film trying to get home (like other Matt Damon films - trying to get home), and for the first time, I genuinely believed he might not make it.
The remaining trials are all handled brilliantly. Some are visually stronger than others, but every challenge feels distinct, memorable and cinematic.
Performance-wise, everyone turns up.
Regardless of where people stand on Elliott Page personally, their performance here is exceptional. There's one particular scene that absolutely had me invested emotionally and reminded me just how talented they are. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was one brief running sequence at the end of it, which I did not buy, but that's about as nit-picky as I can get.
Matt Damon is excellent throughout, while Anne Hathaway, Himesh Patel, Charlize Theron, Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal and Robert Pattinson all bring their A-game whenever they're on screen. The cast is stacked, and it absolutely delivers.
Ludwig Göransson's score is phenomenal. At this point, the man simply doesn't miss. Every emotional beat lands exactly where it should.
If you've seen Christopher Nolan's work before, you'll know linear storytelling isn't exactly his thing. Even Tenet, arguably one of his more straightforward films structurally, literally plays in reverse. The Odyssey is no different. It jumps around, trusts the audience and never spoon-feeds you.
Visually, though, this might be one of his most breathtaking films yet. The crashing waves at the beginning instantly reminded me of 'Inception', while the forests, landscapes and sequence involving Elliott Page are absolutely stunning. You can also tell just how much of this was achieved practically. Yes, CGI is used where necessary, but Nolan's commitment to doing as much as possible in-camera gives the film a scale and authenticity that's becoming increasingly rare.
The giants alone left me wondering, "How on earth did they pull that off?"
What surprised me most is just how much this film grew on me. I genuinely thought I was watching my least favourite Christopher Nolan film... only for it to completely win me over.
I'm already considering seeing it again.
And if this really is only the beginning of Nolan's take on this world, then I want him to direct every single sequel, spin-off or connected story. Because if history has taught us anything, it's that when Christopher Nolan commits to a world, you're almost guaranteed something ambitious, unforgettable and worth watching.
