Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Criticized for Lacking Epic Patience

In a Boston Globe opinion piece, writer Tom Joudry argues that Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' will be forgotten in fifty years despite its massive commercial success and critical acclaim. The film has grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, and is favored to win multiple Oscars. However, Joudry contends that Nolan's relentless pacing, which avoids any moment of stillness, undermines the essence of the Hollywood epic. He contrasts the film with classic epics like 'Gone with the Wind' (1939), 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962), and 'Out of Africa' (1985), which use patient, lingering shots to build emotional depth and thematic resonance. Joudry also references Homer's original poem, emphasizing themes of waiting and endurance that Nolan's adaptation allegedly neglects. He criticizes modern filmmaking trends favoring rapid-fire action, citing the 'Mad Max' reboots as examples where ideas are lost in noise. He notes exceptions like 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (2022), '1917' (2019), and Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' series, which maintain slower pacing. Joudry concludes that while audiences may embrace experimental indie horror, the high cost of epics makes such pacing risky, leaving us with a film that is 'full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'