Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

An Odyssey To Ignore?
Steyn Online ^ | 29 May 2026 | Tal Bachman

Posted on 05/30/2026 7:26:28 AM PDT by Rummyfan

This is the first topic I've ever written about which probably shouldn't be written about at all. By anyone. Anywhere.

Based on all indications so far, the best way to treat director Christopher Nolan's forthcoming movie, The Odyssey (starring Matt Damon as Odysseus) is simply to ignore it. Never mention it. Certainly not see it. Everyone in the entire world should simply continue living their lives as though the movie never existed at all.

The reason isn't just that the trailer conveys an odd combination of overwrought and unserious. It's that the trailer, interviews, and press releases so far suggest the main point of the movie — maybe it's only point — is to provoke spluttering outrage from half the population, only so as to provoke the other half into buying tickets just to feel superior. Which is to say, to write a piece objecting to any aspect of Nolan's new movie is to give these folks what they want. It vindicates their business plan. Ultimately helps make them money.

Could Hollywood be that cynical? Could any group of film industry "creatives" and their bosses be so hollow, so self-absorbed, so willing to do violence to one of the great literary achievements in history, only in order to pursue a ragebait, "movie-as-trolling-device" commercial strategy?

Well, the alternative explanation is a level of artistic incompetence not seen since Franz Liebkind produced "Springtime for Hitler". Given Nolan's successful career so far, that seems unlikely. But who knows? (On a side note: Nolan's slavishly laudatory 6,700 word Wikipedia entry reads exactly like Nolan wrote it himself — a possibility I'm definitely not ruling out).

But let me just dive into the details of why I suspect this entire project, in the end, amounts only to monetized trolling.

(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christophernolan; dei; mattdamon; movies; theodyssey; woke
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Is Nolan just playing an elaborate and very expensive joke on everyone?!

1 posted on 05/30/2026 7:26:28 AM PDT by Rummyfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

I have no plans to see this movie. Ellen Page as a Greek hero is enough to turn me off from it, aside from the historical inaccuracies in this movie.


2 posted on 05/30/2026 7:29:55 AM PDT by Jonty30 (He spent a week hunting a mammoth, just because I said I was hungry. He's such a good friend. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

No one is going to go watch this movie.


3 posted on 05/30/2026 7:36:10 AM PDT by MarlonRando
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30

I have no intention, nor my family, of seeing this this whatever it’s supposed to be.


4 posted on 05/30/2026 7:36:14 AM PDT by Ronald77 ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Hell'No! Of DeTROYit

5 posted on 05/30/2026 7:42:19 AM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nateman

Ellen of Detroit maybe


6 posted on 05/30/2026 7:51:07 AM PDT by zeebee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30

I’m with you on this one.


7 posted on 05/30/2026 7:57:41 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Ronald77

Same here.


8 posted on 05/30/2026 7:58:02 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Nateman

Helen of Nigeria


9 posted on 05/30/2026 8:00:02 AM PDT by birg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

What is it with Matt Damon constantly getting lost?


10 posted on 05/30/2026 8:00:59 AM PDT by jmcenanly (You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ― Winston)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Could be good. Could be awful. The speculation has run wild about Elliot Page, though we don’t yet know who he/she/it is playing. And objecting to the stuntcasting of Helen and Clytemnestra is fair game.

That said, nobody (outside of the closed circle of insiders) has seen it yet. It didn’t premier in any festivals. That surprised me. Maybe that suggests problems. Maybe not.

I’ll keep my powder dry until it hits the theaters and I read some reviews from people who have actually seen it.

It’s a big spectacle film shot entirely on 70 mm IMAX cameras for the full IMAX big screens. That’s interesting. There aren’t many true IMAX theaters around, although “IMAX with laser” on smaller screens is offered more widely. If the initial reviews don’t flame it entirely, that could tip the balance. I gather that the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and Udvar Hazy (at the Smithsonian annex at Dulles) are the two best screens in the DC area. Might be worth the experiment to check it out.

Pending reviews from people who have actually seen it.


11 posted on 05/30/2026 8:07:21 AM PDT by sphinx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MarlonRando

Leftist females, wokies, and hollywood types will love it.

Nolan will get Oscars for butchering the Odyssey.


12 posted on 05/30/2026 8:11:09 AM PDT by dforest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
is simply to ignore it. Never mention it. Certainly not see it.

Got it and agree 100%.

Nolan believes this is the "most beautiful woman in the world," the "face that launched a 1,000 ships," and described by Homer as "fair-haired and light-skinned:"

8E080752 B816 4048 94C1 02DD5C0090A9 1 102 o

That is reason enough to ignore this film.

13 posted on 05/30/2026 8:16:25 AM PDT by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30
Having a movie date night later. Mexican dinner then view the Blumhouse film : Obsession.

Watched the trailer, we both giggled with delight!

14 posted on 05/30/2026 8:19:43 AM PDT by Kudsman (Please Mr. President, unload on Senate Majority leader Thune for not passing voter ID. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Bon of Babble; All

How can Hollyweird investors continue to lose money to satisfy their woke fantasies?


15 posted on 05/30/2026 8:21:45 AM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Reily

I believe their directive is to tear down Western Civilization and all it stands for by adding DEI.

They keep churning out Star Wars movies, year after year, continuing to be disappointed that their “woke” movies aren’t being well received:

‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’ brought in $167 million at the worldwide box office over the four-day holiday weekend, making it the lowest opening ever for a ‘Star Wars’ movie. It did worse than 2018’s Memorial Day weekend release of ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story,’ which brought in $168 million worldwide and went on to earn only $392 million worldwide in its theatrical run.”


16 posted on 05/30/2026 8:28:30 AM PDT by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Bon of Babble

Never saw them.
Quit watching Star Wars after number two.


17 posted on 05/30/2026 8:43:11 AM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MarlonRando
No one is going to go watch this movie.

Oh, it'll have an audeince.

Of the woke, the illiterati, the virtue signalers.

This was never about making money.

The movie is more Deep State agitprop.

18 posted on 05/30/2026 8:51:02 AM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: sphinx

“The speculation has run wild about Elliot Page, though we don’t yet know who he/she/it is playing. And objecting to the stuntcasting of Helen and Clytemnestra is fair game.”

That’s a central part of Nolan’s “troll.” He listed the major cast early on with IMDB, but left the roles out for the controversial DEI picks. Initially Nyongo’s role was blank and was essentially pieced together by people analyzing still-shots of scenes in which she was included.

So yeah, this is trolling for outrage and an Oscar. (maybe most Outrageous film should be it’s own category?)


19 posted on 05/30/2026 8:52:28 AM PDT by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Reily

Marcia Lucas passed away on May 27.

The news of her passing wasn’t released until the 29th.

I wonder why.


20 posted on 05/30/2026 8:53:13 AM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson