{"id":20264,"date":"2026-07-28T21:31:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=20264"},"modified":"2026-07-28T21:31:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:31:48","slug":"the-odyssey-translator-emily-wilson-rips-abysmal-christopher-nolan-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=20264","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;The Odyssey&#8217; translator Emily Wilson rips &#8216;abysmal&#8217; Christopher Nolan film"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F3%2F2026%2F07%2FUntitled-2-copy-8.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d translator Emily Wilson is not a fan of <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/15\/entertainment\/the-odyssey-review-christopher-nolans-magical-epic-is-mammoth-and-fantastic\/\">Christopher Nolan\u2019s big-screen adaptation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Wilson trashed the film in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lrb.co.uk\/the-paper\/v48\/n14\/emily-wilson\/an-uncomplicated-man\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">her review for the\u00a0London Review of Books<\/a>, which was published Monday and\u00a0titled, \u201cI would be ashamed to have written any part of this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the piece, Wilson \u2014 the first woman to translate Homer\u2019s epic poem \u2014 said Nolan\u2019s movie \u201chas nothing convincing to say\u201d and \u201clacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d translator Emily Wilson (seen here) trashed Christopher Nolan\u2019s movie in her review for the London Review of Books. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>Wilson said Nolan\u2019s film \u201chas nothing convincing to say\u201d and \u201clacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth\u201d (Nolan is pictured above at \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d Paris premiere). <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images for Universal Pictures<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cNolan\u2019s Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great,\u201d she wrote. \u201cIts narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wilson, who is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, said she had expectations that Nolan\u2019s \u201caffinity\u201d for Odysseus\u2019 story \u201cmight push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Nolan\u2019s adaptation \u201cfeatures his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality,\u201d Wilson penned.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>Wilson (pictured here) also slammed the film\u2019s \u201cgimmicky\u201d narrative structure and \u201cabysmal\u201d writing. <span class=\"credit\">bnphillypa, \/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>Furthermore, Wilson said the movie is \u201ctoo confused\u201d with \u201cunderdeveloped\u201d characters (Nolan is pictured above at \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d premiere in India). <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images for Universal Pictures<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She also complained that the blockbuster film \u201cis too confused, its characters too underdeveloped, to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would be ashamed to have written any part of this script,\u201d Wilson added.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson also attacked the film in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/culture\/film\/article\/the-odyssey-how-accurate-emily-wilson-pz28bkq0m\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an interview with the Sunday Times<\/a>, saying, \u201cIt didn\u2019t land emotionally for me at all. Which I think is partly about the fact that, unlike Homer, it\u2019s not very well written.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe characters don\u2019t have the kind of depth the Homeric characters have,\u201d she continued. \u201cI felt, \u2018Do I really care if this guy gets back to his wife?\u2019 You haven\u2019t given me any reason to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Page Six has reached out to Nolan\u2019s rep for comment.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>Wilson also said, \u201cI would be ashamed to have written any part of this script.\u201d (Nolan is seen here directing \u201cThe Odyssey.\u201d) <span class=\"credit\">\u00a9Universal\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>Wilson (seen here) was the first woman to translate Homer\u2019s epic poem. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Page Six Daily\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant more celebrity and pop culture news?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with Page Six Daily.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The criticisms come after Nolan, 55, was complimentary of Wilson and her translation during the press tour for \u201cThe Odyssey.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The filmmaker<a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireonline.com\/movies\/news\/the-odyssey-firstlooks-at-tom-holland-anne-hathaway-and-mia-goth-and-tom-holland-in-christopher-nolans-epic-cno\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> told Empire magazine<\/a> last year he used Wilson\u2019s opening line of her translation, \u201cTell me about a complicated man,\u201d as inspiration for his vision of the movie.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe genius of the character, the cleverness, the inventiveness of him, that was a huge part of what interested me,\u201d Nolan said. \u201cHe\u2019s not just a soldier. He\u2019s an amazing strategist, a very wily person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d stars Matt Damon (seen above in character), Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson. <span class=\"credit\">Melinda Sue Gordon \/ Universal Pictures via Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><figcaption>The film has received rave reviews from critics and has been a smash hit at the box office. (Hathaway and Holland are pictured above filming a scene together.) <span class=\"credit\">Melinda Sue Gordon \/ Universal Pictures via Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThe Odyssey,\u201d starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/07\/23\/entertainment\/whoopi-goldberg-slams-transphobic-criticism-of-elliot-pages-the-odyssey-casting\/\">Elliot Page<\/a>, has received rave reviews from critics, earning a 94% rating on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/m\/the_odyssey_2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rotten Tomatoes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also become one of the biggest movies of the year, grossing over $650 million globally in its first two weekends.<\/p>\n<p>The film has, however,<a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/07\/15\/hollywood\/why-the-culture-war-over-chris-nolans-the-odyssey-is-misguided\/\"> received some criticism for its more contemporary, modern dialogue<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/07\/22\/hollywood\/christopher-nolan-completely-defeated-attempts-to-cancel-the-odyssey-we-reveal-the-elite-group-too-big-to-boycott\/\">\u201cwoke\u201d casting decisions.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d is in theaters now.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe Odyssey\u201d translator Emily Wilson is not a fan of Christopher Nolan\u2019s big-screen adaptation. Wilson trashed the film in her review for the\u00a0London Review of Books, which was published Monday and\u00a0titled, \u201cI would be ashamed to have written any part of this.\u201d In the piece, Wilson \u2014 the first woman to translate Homer\u2019s epic poem&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/Untitled-2-copy-8.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}