Not Greek to them. Scholars question Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’

Scholars Emily Wilson and Daniel Mendelsohn have expressed reservations about Christopher Nolan’s new film, “The Odyssey,” despite its role in boosting interest in Homer’s epic. While acknowledging the film's cinematic ambition and visual flair, both scholars argue that Nolan's adaptation misses essential themes and character nuances from the original poem. Mendelsohn criticized the portrayal of Odysseus as a “tormented, guilt-ridden” figure, lacking the hero's characteristic cleverness and humor, suggesting Nolan remade the hero “in his own image.” Wilson, a translator whose work inspired Nolan, questioned omissions like the absence of certain gods and found Penelope’s role diminished, impacting the believability of the marriage. Despite their critiques, Wilson still recommends seeing the film on a big screen.