Emily Wilson, a renowned Greek translator, has expressed mixed feelings about the release of Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of “The Odyssey.” Her well-received 2017 translation of Homer’s classic has seen renewed interest, climbing to the top 5 on Amazon.com, attributed in part to the movie’s influence. Even Nolan has mentioned her translation, especially the opening phrase “Tell me about a complicated man,” as a source of inspiration.
However, Wilson finds herself somewhat disappointed with the film, which debuted this weekend to largely positive reviews. “I want to celebrate that many more people have reconnected with ‘The Odyssey,’” she shared with The Associated Press. “But I sensed that Christopher Nolan attempted to include everything, yet overlooked key themes inherent to the poem.”
One of this year’s eagerly awaited films, “The Odyssey” features Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, and Tom Holland as Telemachus. Reviewers have lauded the performances and the film’s compelling narrative. The use of IMAX film to capture the grandeur and the blend of ancient Greek with modern tone, as interpreted by Nolan, also received commendations.
Opinions diverge between scholars and critics regarding whether Nolan’s vision or Homer’s original should take precedence. Wilson, alongside fellow translator Daniel Mendelsohn, praised Nolan’s cinematographic skills and daring creativity. Mendelsohn, a writer and editor-at-large at The New York Review of Books, described Nolan’s approach as having “great visual panache.” Both noted that Nolan’s personal filmmaking style might have led to unsatisfactory elements.
Mendelsohn previously supported Nolan’s decision to cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, viewing it as a thought-provoking challenge to conventional ideas of beauty and identity. However, he criticized the film’s portrayal of Odysseus, who lacked the cleverness, humor, and charm critical to Homer’s original character. According to Mendelsohn, the hero became another of Nolan’s typical haunted figures, akin to those seen in “Oppenheimer” and “Memento.”
Mendelsohn commented, “This tormented, guilt-ridden Odysseus, stripped of humor and wit, seductiveness and cleverness, is a sibling of Memento’s anguished amnesiac, of Batman, of Oppenheimer, men tormented by pasts they wrestle with in different ways.”
Wilson, who is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, emphasized she did not wish to appear as a purist resistant to changes from Homer’s text. Still, she critiqued several aspects, including the omission of Gods like Zeus and Poseidon. While Athena, played by Zendaya, features in the film, the absence of other deities left a gap. Wilson also noted inconsistencies in the film’s handling of themes related to war and cowardice, and critiqued Penelope’s diminished role, which affected the portrayal of her marriage with Odysseus.
She singled out scenes involving Odysseus’ dog, Argos, as leaning towards modern sentimentalism, saying, “Everybody’s a sucker for a dog.” A comment from Nolan was not immediately available.
While Wilson refrained from formally rating the film, she would still recommend it to viewers, urging them to experience it in cinema. “It was enjoyable to watch with my kids,” she mentioned. “If you can see it on the big screen, you should absolutely go.”