The Odyssey (2026)

The Odyssey

• HE CAN’T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS. By “he”, I’m obviously referring to Academy Award winner Sir Christopher Nolan. That man…..he just knows cinema. Never ever let him stop making films. I still feel so mind blown by what I witnessed today. Are there other directors that could’ve made a fantastic rendition of this story? Absolutely. But Nolan sure knows how to make something once-in-a-lifetime. This was one of the most immersive, amazing, and thrilling theatrical experiences I’ve had in my entire lifetime, which is certainly saying something. Despite the runtime being three hours, I was devastated when it ended because there wasn’t an additional three hours left. I think I could legitimately watch this story and these characters for an entire day straight, and soak up every second of it. I’ve seen some people say that the first 20-30 minutes are a little bumpy and it takes some time to get into it, but I was ABSORBED immediately. The dialogue can feel awkward and take some time to get used to, but besides that, you’re immediately thrown into one of the most iconic stories of all time. I love the way that the plot is constructed, with some non-linear storytelling that pays off in an amazing way. But I mean, would it be Nolan if it wasn’t non-linear? Either way, it completely works, and it lays out everything in an interesting yet digestible way. Every performance was pretty great, and I can’t think of a bad performance. There’s some that are better than others, but everyone was great. Matt Damon was an amazing choice for the title role, Robert Pattinson is extremely good at everything he does (of course), and Anne Hathaway shines brilliantly. It’s one of the best casts of the year and Nolan shows how he can grab anyone and utilize them. Also, Lupita Nyong'o and Elliot Page take every second they get and run with it, and I want to give them so much love and hugs. Not just because they’re beautiful people (inside and out), but they are brave and courageous and do not deserve any hate. If you happen to think this film is too “woke” simply because there is a person of color or a trans individual, then you can go jump off a cliff and hit the ground extra horribly. The score is very beautiful and authentic, and Ludwig shows (again) why he’s a three time Academy Award winner. Maybe four, after this year….we’ll see. The visuals also aren’t as prominent as ‘Oppenheimer’, yet they’re still very good looking, gritty, and natural. You can feel the production and sets in every single scene, especially the fact that they used a sixty foot animatronic puppet for the cyclops. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve felt so immersed in an environment. I was there, witnessing everything firsthand, and once the film finished, I was rudely awakened that I was just sitting in a theater. Ok, I’ll stop rambling now. It’s a perfect film (in my eyes) and I’m so in awe of Nolan and his crew. I would recommend this to literally all living beings. Don’t let the three hour runtime scare you off. Just enjoy it, and I promise you’ll be left itching for more. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!