Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ becomes highest rated film of career

Early critical consensus places epic above every previous release, with praise for ambition, scale and performances

Christopher Nolan has reached a new milestone before The Odyssey has even opened in cinemas, with early reviews making the filmmaker's latest epic the highest rated film of his career on Rotten Tomatoes.

As of July 15, the review aggregation site showed The Odyssey holding a 98% critics' score based on its initial wave of published reviews. While the percentage may fluctuate as additional reviews are added, the early consensus places the film ahead of every previous feature directed by Nolan, including Oscar winner Oppenheimer and superhero classic The Dark Knight.

The strong reception marks another significant achievement for the British American filmmaker, whose films have consistently earned critical praise while becoming major box office events. Even Nolan's lowest rated feature has remained positively reviewed, highlighting the consistency that has defined his career across more than two decades.

Based on Homer's ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary king attempting to return home following the Trojan War. The film also features Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus and Zendaya as Athena, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Elliot Page and several other high profile performers.

Critics have highlighted the film's scale, visual ambition and emotional storytelling. Early reviews have praised Nolan's use of practical filmmaking techniques, expansive locations and IMAX photography, describing the production as one of the most technically accomplished achievements of his career.

Several reviewers also singled out the performances, with Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Antinous attracting particular attention. Others praised the adaptation for balancing mythological spectacle with character driven storytelling while remaining faithful to the emotional core of Homer's classic tale.

The positive reception follows months of online debate surrounding the film. Before reviews were published, some social media users criticised casting decisions and creative choices, while others questioned elements of the costume design and historical presentation. Nolan recently addressed that discussion in interviews, saying that conversations taking place before audiences actually see a film are ultimately irrelevant because viewers should judge the finished work rather than speculation.

The director also explained that his experience making the Dark Knight trilogy taught him to focus on creating the strongest possible adaptation instead of responding to online criticism. Nolan has consistently maintained that every adaptation should reflect the filmmaker's own sincere interpretation of the source material.

The Odyssey carries one of the largest budgets of Nolan's career and is also notable for being filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, making it the first feature produced exclusively in that format. Expectations are high for both its commercial performance and awards prospects following the success of Oppenheimer, which won Best Picture and earned Nolan his first Academy Award for Best Director.

 With its theatrical release scheduled for July 17, audiences will soon have the opportunity to decide whether the film lives up to the exceptional praise from critics and whether it secures its place among the director's most celebrated works.