Noted British-American translator Emily Wilson has sharply criticized the screenplay for 'The Odyssey' by director Christopher Nolan, calling it 'abysmal' and saying she 'would be ashamed to have written any part of this'. Wilson, whose acclaimed English translation of Homer's epic has earned widespread praise, argued that the script fails to capture the depth and complexity of the original work. Her comments have sparked debate among fans and film enthusiasts, with many questioning how closely Nolan's adaptation will stay true to the ancient Greek classic.
Emily, the acclaimed classicist whose landmark 2017 English translation of The Odyssey was referenced by Nolan during the film's early promotional campaign, has sharply criticized the director's adaptation. Despite her translation helping generate interest in the project, Wilson offered a scathing assessment of the blockbuster, arguing that it falls well short of doing justice to Homer's epic.
Writing for the London Review of Books, the acclaimed translator argued that the film falls short of capturing the richness of Homer's epic, saying it lacks the psychological, emotional, political, and moral complexity that defines the original work. Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, also contended that Nolan's adaptation ultimately offers little of substance, describing it as a story that 'has nothing convincing to say'.
"I had hoped that Nolan’s affinity with these Homeric themes might push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters. But The Odyssey features his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality... the film’s vision is too confused, its characters too underdeveloped, to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas - although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants," Emily wrote.
"Nolan’s Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great. It has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior’s glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbours. It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its 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," Emily further wrote.
Wilson, however, acknowledged that Nolan had praised the opening line of her acclaimed translation - "Tell me about a complicated man" - during the film's promotional campaign. However, she contrasted that admiration with a blunt assessment of the finished screenplay, saying she "would be ashamed to have written any part of this script."
Despite Wilson's criticism, moviegoers have responded very differently to Nolan's 'The Odyssey'. According to Variety, the epic adaptation has been a major commercial success, earning an 'A' CinemaScore from opening-weekend audiences and quickly emerging as one of the year's highest-grossing films. The momentum continued in its second weekend, when the movie brought in an impressive $90 million at the domestic box office, reinforcing its strong appeal among audiences despite the mixed critical reactions.
Emily, the acclaimed classicist whose landmark 2017 English translation of The Odyssey was referenced by Nolan during the film's early promotional campaign, has sharply criticized the director's adaptation. Despite her translation helping generate interest in the project, Wilson offered a scathing assessment of the blockbuster, arguing that it falls well short of doing justice to Homer's epic.
Writing for the London Review of Books, the acclaimed translator argued that the film falls short of capturing the richness of Homer's epic, saying it lacks the psychological, emotional, political, and moral complexity that defines the original work. Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, also contended that Nolan's adaptation ultimately offers little of substance, describing it as a story that 'has nothing convincing to say'.
"I had hoped that Nolan’s affinity with these Homeric themes might push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters. But The Odyssey features his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality... the film’s vision is too confused, its characters too underdeveloped, to deliver what it half-promises in terms of big ideas - although it is very good at conveying big bangs and big giants," Emily wrote.
"Nolan’s Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great. It has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior’s glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbours. It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its 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," Emily further wrote.
Wilson, however, acknowledged that Nolan had praised the opening line of her acclaimed translation - "Tell me about a complicated man" - during the film's promotional campaign. However, she contrasted that admiration with a blunt assessment of the finished screenplay, saying she "would be ashamed to have written any part of this script."
Despite Wilson's criticism, moviegoers have responded very differently to Nolan's 'The Odyssey'. According to Variety, the epic adaptation has been a major commercial success, earning an 'A' CinemaScore from opening-weekend audiences and quickly emerging as one of the year's highest-grossing films. The momentum continued in its second weekend, when the movie brought in an impressive $90 million at the domestic box office, reinforcing its strong appeal among audiences despite the mixed critical reactions.
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