The Odyssey (2026) reviews

The Fuzzy Mushroom take on The Odyssey

By Fuzzy Mushroom · Updated 12 November 2026 · The Pros 94 · The Punters 87 · Spore Score 92 · How we write our takes

Critics and audiences both call it a must-see

The Odyssey is one of the rare blockbusters where The Pros and The Punters land in the same place. The Pros give it 94, The Punters 87, and the Spore Score is 92, with a crystal clear tag. Critics are a touch warmer than audiences, which is normal for a film this ambitious, but a gap of 7 points is small. Both camps are saying the same thing: this is a big film worth seeing on the biggest screen you can find.

What it is

Christopher Nolan wrote and directed this version of Homer's ancient Greek epic, released by Universal in July 2026. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, whose journey home from the Trojan War takes him past monsters, gods and temptations while his family waits and suitors circle his palace. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o and Charlize Theron. Nolan shot the film with IMAX film cameras, and much of its marketing pushed audiences towards IMAX screenings.

What it does well

Nolan has always liked stories about people trying to get home, from Interstellar to Dunkirk, and Homer's poem gives him the oldest version of that story there is. The scale is what most people talk about first: the sea, the ships and the creatures are built to be seen large. Damon plays Odysseus as a clever, tired man rather than a flawless hero, which suits a story about how long it takes to come home and what that costs.

Where The Punters are a little cooler

Some viewers find Nolan's films cold, and a three-thousand-year-old poem full of episodes can feel like a series of set pieces rather than one flowing story. Anyone expecting a light adventure may find it heavier and more serious than the trailers suggested. These are small grumbles, though, and the audience figure is still very high.

Who it is for

Anyone who likes big, serious spectacle, Nolan fans, and anyone who studied the Greek myths at school and wants to see them done properly. It is a cinema film first: if you can see it in IMAX, do.

The Fuzzy Mushroom verdict

Must-see, with a Spore Score of 92. A huge, confident epic that both critics and audiences rate highly. When The Pros and The Punters agree this clearly, it is usually safe to book the tickets.