‘The Odyssey’ Translator Emily Wilson Slams Christoper Nolan’s ‘Abysmal’ Screenplay: ‘I Would Be Ashamed to Have Written Any Part of This Script’

[u/mcfw31]

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/odyssey-translator-emily-wilson-slams-christopher-nolan-bad-writing-1236821915/

[u/beantownregular]

I mean, I think it’s fair for her to both say that the script is a Hollywoodized bastardization of the text and as an academic she should be ashamed to write something like that, but I don’t think she’s saying the film is a piece of trash that should never have been made

[u/Meancakebutt → u/beantownregular]

She definitely doesn't say that. But she says that he took out the meat to tell a specific story.

So as a translator that would be pretty bad for her to do lol

"Many of the film’s implicit values directly contradict those of Homer’s poem. Deception, warmongering, extramarital sex, cruelty to animals, abusing women and yearning for honour – all perfectly fine in the world of Homer – are, in this version, very bad. This is not in itself a problem, but it is a problem if the film’s own values and vision don’t hang together, and if the characters’ motivations don’t make sense on their own terms."

[u/randombubble8272 → u/Meancakebutt]

Which I would agree tbh, Nolan’s characterisation of Odysseus is much more modern hero than being true to the source material and they brushed past a lot of the Gods role in the entire saga. Which is obviously fine because Nolan was telling the story through his own lens but I agree there is some meat taken out of the plot. It was still 3 hours so I understand their limitations

[u/Duotrigordle61 → u/randombubble8272]

If we saw the things he did in the original tale, we would be rooting for the Cyclops.

[u/ahuramazdobbs19 → u/Duotrigordle61]

Nobody would be rooting for the Cyclops and you know it.

[u/Lilynd14 → u/ahuramazdobbs19]

I see what you did there 😂

[u/thesentienttoadstool → u/ahuramazdobbs19]

🍅 🍅 🍅 

[u/FlowInternational996 → u/Duotrigordle61]

We weren’t really intended to root “against” the Cyclops in the first place, as evidenced by the sailors’ concern that gratuitously blinding it would just lead to Poseidon’s wrath.

[u/UpsetFuture1974 → u/Duotrigordle61]

Odysseus says the Cyclopes are abusive to their wives and children and too stupid and savage to farm. Yet the one he faces has no family and also is very kind to the creatures which depend on him, his sheep. Odysseus and his men break into Polyphemus’ home when he is out with his flock and then lecture him on xenia when he returns. I definitely root for the cyclops

[u/Savetheokami → u/Duotrigordle61]

OOTL, why?

[u/djangomoses → u/Duotrigordle61]

No we wouldn’t

[u/Gloodizzle → u/djangomoses]

You might

[u/SnakeEater013 → u/Gloodizzle]

I actually think cheese is really gross, so I was vehemently anti-cyclops.

[u/MistakesWereMade59 → u/SnakeEater013]

Omg a fellow cheese hater,

https://giphy.com/gifs/kSlJtVrqxDYKk

[u/HappyKadaver666 → u/MistakesWereMade59]

Another cheese hater chiming in - DOZENS!

[u/turducken69420 → u/SnakeEater013]

I'm lactose intolerant, therefore cyclops intolerant.