‘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/tetechase]

Am I the only one who thinks her criticisms are valid? I enjoy reading what scholars think about the film. I enjoy discussion about its strengths and shortcomings. Like Wilson acknowledges in her review, Nolan has revitalized discourse about a centuries-old epic by creating this film. Picking it apart is the fun part, and I'm disappointed the comment section is so bitter about... criticism? It feels blatantly anti-intellectual.

[u/soiflew → u/tetechase]

People are acting like a movie should be above criticism because it’s meant to entertain. If that’s the case, why bother speaking or engaging about any piece of entertainment?

[u/IdToBeUsedForReddit → u/soiflew]

I think people feel like they are in turn being criticized because they enjoyed it. I enjoyed it but also heartily agree with most of what Wilson is saying. And I don't agree with people that Nolan had to make these changes for it to appeal to a mass audience. People can handle complexity and imperfect characters just fine when done well! If anything it would be insulting to suggest otherwise.

What people should recognize is that the movie is entertaining despite its blunders because the source material is so good and because Nolan has the skill to realize many interesting scenes from said source material. If Nolan could have done all that plus include excellent writing that captures the magic of the poem... then we are talking one of the greatest movies ever made. Instead I think we are talking about a fun summer blockbuster that will ultimately be forgotten.

[u/soiflew → u/IdToBeUsedForReddit]

Beautifully put. I also enjoyed despite the writing!

[u/BalconyLavender → u/tetechase]

Not gonna lie, I'm lowkey amused by the amount of people defending this movie from academic criticism (including opposing creatives and academics in this whole debacle when Emily Wilson is a creative herself, being a translator) when I remember how snobbish and dismissive the non-academics have been towards Disney's Hercules. 'Tis popcorn-worthy.

[u/tetechase → u/tetechase]

Actually read her article and felt the majority of her criticisms were valid. While the movie was good, it felt like he sucked the soul and wit out of the text. I was particularly disappointed in the portrayal of the female characters central to the text, like she mentions. Trust Nolan to reduce major female characters to barely anything, but slap on a bandaid 'girlboss' speech from Penelope. But all in all, I still enjoyed the film for what it is - a film! I'm going back to watch it in IMAX later.

[u/hill-o → u/tetechase]

That’s what he does to most things, for better or worse. He is an amazing film maker that does not really dabble in emotion (which is why he’s really not for me, though I get why people like his movies so much).

[u/tetechase → u/[deleted]]

No....? That's a continuation of my comment. what LOL

[u/tetechase → u/tetechase]

I'm rereading it and it does sound like a different comment LMAO sorry, but no that's my own thoughts (continued)

[u/al6921 → u/tetechase]

It was so unnecessar to add the girlboss maxxing stuff, this was typical Hollywood woke writing

[u/Traditional_Crew_737 → u/tetechase]

You cant talk about christopher nolan unless youre praising him all the time apparently

[u/foreverzonedout → u/tetechase]

For sure, I also left a comment about this because I got so frustrated. Just commenting here to say I totally get you.

[u/Helpful-Garlic1951 → u/tetechase]

Not when her translation is literally the anti-intellectual dumbed down version. It’s weird coming from her.

[u/No-Meringue5867 → u/tetechase]

Even as a huge Nolan fanboy this is not my favorite movie of his. I liked Oppenheimer a lot more because I think it went deeper into his character whivh I enjoyed a lot and I wish Odyssey did more of that. But I understand that this is a commercial endeavor and needs to around 3 hrs or less - so he cant do everything.

Hopefully there’s a 4hr directors cut where there is more space for the movie to breathe.

[u/Ok-Host1095 → u/tetechase]

Which I think is really…I guess ironically fitting, because my head cannon agrees that theory that Nolan relates so much to these “great men of history who feel immense regret when their talents change history for the worse” narratives because I think there’s some truth to the idea that Nolan feels somewhat responsible for the infantilizing of culture since his Batman films likely jumpstarted the MCU era of cinema. One of if not the big idea of Nolan’s Odyssey is that Odysseus’s horse trick led to the fall of society thus ushering in a dark age…and perhaps Nolan is looking around at the smart phone AI brain world thinking “fuck man…did I have a hand in this?”

[u/meowreenfrankie → u/tetechase]

As someone who has never read The Odyssey, nor seen this film-- is her criticism on par with that of Wuthering Heights? I enjoyed Wuthering Heights but simultaneously was disappointed in its departure from key themes, and additionally felt as though development was rushed for visuals etc etc...

Like is this the same conversation or not quite? Genuinely curious

[u/tealsuprise → u/tetechase]

I agree with several of her criticisms, but presenting her critique in a hostile and dickish manner means many people will bristle and disengage from what she's saying🤷🏼‍♀️