Odyssey translator slams Nolan's film adaptation as 'gimmicky' with 'no sex'
Academic Emily Wilson has published a harsh critique of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey, labeling it 'gimmicky' and lacking in emotional depth. Despite her criticism, she acknowledges the film's success in driving public interest toward Homer's original classic.
Why it matters
The intersection of high-brow literary criticism and blockbuster cinema highlights the tension between artistic adaptation and commercial entertainment.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Emma Saunders Culture reporter Universal Pictures Sir Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, may have won rave reviews from critics and done storming business at the box office - but one person is definitely not happy.
Emily Wilson, the academic whose 2017 translation of Homer's Odyssey was cited by the director as an influence on his adaptation of the poem, has written a scathing review of the movie.
Published in the London Review of Books , Wilson said she "would be ashamed to have written any of this script", describing the film's narrative structure as "gimmicky."
"The writing is abysmal," she said. "None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."
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