‘The Odyssey’ translator says she'd be ‘ashamed’ to have written Christopher Nolan's script

Emily Wilson, the acclaimed classicist whose bestselling 2017 English translation of Homer's The Odyssey inspired Christopher Nolan's blockbuster adaptation, has delivered a scathing review of the film.

Writing in the London Review of Books, Wilson said that although she was "humbled" Nolan cited her translation as an influence, she "would be ashamed to have written any part of this script."

Wilson argued that the film strips Homer's epic of its emotional and narrative complexity, describing it as a visually impressive spectacle that lacks depth. She also criticized Nolan's portrayal of key female characters, saying Charlize Theron's Calypso, Anne Hathaway's Penelope and Zendaya's Athena are far less complex than their counterparts in the original poem.

The scholar further took issue with the film's depiction of war, arguing that it focuses on the emotional struggles of its hero while failing to adequately portray the suffering of war's victims. She also criticized its race-neutral casting, saying many non-white characters exist primarily to support the white protagonist.

Despite her harsh review, Wilson ended on a positive note, saying the film has helped spark renewed interest in The Odyssey. She celebrated the fact that audiences are returning to Homer's ancient epic, with sales of modern translations, including her own, surpassing one million copies.