Historians believe Homer composed his epic poem, “The Odyssey,” approximately 2,700 years ago. When Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of “The Odyssey” opens on July 17, it will have already broken presale ticket records. The Odyssey was an oral poem, later written in ancient Greek. Nolan’s movie will command a massive open-weekend audience.
That deserves some reflection.
The commercial reasons are obvious. Nolan is one of Hollywood’s most talented directors, the cast is extraordinary, and the film will be the first narrative feature shot entirely in IMAX 70mm. Spectacle alone could fill seats.
But is there something deeper at work? The story of a reluctant warrior spending a decade trying to find his way home to his family feels urgently relevant right now. We may be experiencing a kind of collective emotional displacement in the 21st century — and there is no shortage of reasons for it. College graduates booed and jeered commencement speakers who invoked artificial intelligence. People are pushing back against the construction of massive data centers in their communities. In the face of seemingly overwhelming technology, we are confronted with the same longing that drove Odysseus — the desperate need to find a way home and reclaim our identity.
The casting of a Black woman as Helen has drawn predictable criticism from certain corners. I’m less interested in that noise than in how Nolan portrays Odysseus’ wife, Penelope — one of the most intelligent, resourceful and clever women in all Greek mythology. I hope he gives Penelope’s story the cinematic attention it deserves, which is long overdue.
If “The Odyssey” reaches the heights of Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” it could become a film masterpiece. Either way, the audience’s desire for this film tells us something about where we are in today’s America.
Philip Wasserman
Stevenson Ranch
