At this glory stage of his filmmaking career, Director Christopher Nolan falls into that category where even before his next film is released, there will be a frenzy of online criticism and naysayers - all of whom, have not even watched the film. That is the kind of attention and speculation that he commands. And its no different for his 2026 opus, The Odyssey.

Casting choices for this Homeric epic, that there were no Greek actors, that American accents and even modern word usage are employed, plus the changes to make the narrative more introspective - seems like there was no shortage of complaints about the film, and the funniest part is how the film hadn’t even been shown yet. I’m with Nolan who dismissed most of the complaints as irrelevant. Mentioning the absence of Greeks in the cast, and second-guessing Nolan’s choices, I find so silly. That’s like saying the only valid Shakespeare is that performed by Englishmen, or of the nationality where the tragedy or comedy transpired? And for me, if you find Nolan’s version that objectionable, no one is forcing you to watch it.

If ever there is a film this year that truly deserves to be watched on an IMAX screen, this is the one. It’s world-building of a different order! It is epic and mythic; and yet finds a way to simultaneously be personal and human. Its a trick that Nolan has mastered via films such as "Oppenheimer," and the "Dark Knight" franchise. Here, it’s like he’s created a mash-up of "Gladiator" and "Dunkirk"; both spectacle, and psychological drama.

"The Odyssey" story itself has been brought to screen several times; but more often than not, in a truncated form. There was "Troy" the 2004 Brad Pitt film; and just two years ago, "The Return" starring Ralph Fiennes, which took up the story from when Odysseus returns to Ithaca. A two part mini-series for television happened in 1997. It is a challenge to adapt in full to film, as the classic hero’s journey, an archetypal motif, that is "The Odyssey," is a disjointed narrative. It covers vast lengths of time and geography, and there are a lot of characters playing crucial roles, even if they’re not the main protagonists. Here, Nolan covers the whole epic with a two hours and fifty two minutes running time.

Matt Damon is Odysseus, Anne Hathaway is Penelope, and Tom Holland portrays their son, Telemachus. The controversial casting choice for Helen of Troy is Lupita N’yong’o; and we have Robert Pattinson as the villainous Antinous, Samantha Morton as Circe, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, John Leguziamo as Eumaeus, and Elliot Page as Sinon. Himesh Patel, Jon Bernthal, Corey Hawkins, and Benny Safdie are also in this film, indicative of how even the relatively minor characters had full-fledged stars ready to be part of this Nolan opus.

I’m not going to even try to provide some synopsis - whether you’re going in blind, or are familiar with the Odyssey storyline, you will find much to enjoy in this treatment. And if there’s one actor ‘blindly’ stealing scenes left and right, that would be John Leguziamo. I predict a bevy of Best Supporting Actor nominations for his work here. Followed closely by Robert Pattinson and Samantha Morton.

So yes, the film is a long one, and in the final act, there is a little bit of Matt Damon channeling FPJ, in how he single-handedly takes on insurmountable odds. But given how this is an epic poem with mythical creatures, magic, and sorcery; suspension of disbelief is the price of entry, and I guarantee you’ll be happy for offering that price. This is epic filmmaking and story-telling that will stand the test of time. And do watch it on an SM IMAX screen! Being immersed has never been so rewarding.