The Odyssey just gave Christopher Nolan his highest Rotten Tomatoes score yet
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is smashing records before it even hits theaters, landing the director’s best-ever Rotten Tomatoes milestone off early screenings. With first reviews in, it’s already set a new critic benchmark for Nolan.
Here we go again, Christopher Nolan breaking the internet – this time not with moody caped crusaders or men in rotating dreamscapes, but with his all-guns-blazing take on Homer’s The Odyssey. As the film gears up for its big-screen debut, critics have already seen enough to peg it as Nolan’s highest-rated work to date. Yes, even higher than The Dark Knight or Memento. And believe me, those are tough acts to follow – let alone outdo.
Critics Gush – And So Do The Numbers
Someone at Universal is probably popping champagne, because The Odyssey has clocked in a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, with 145 reviews and counting. That’s not just a little better than Nolan’s previous numbers – that’s four points higher than his long-standing record holders. For context:
- The Odyssey – 98%
- The Dark Knight – 94%
- Memento – 94%
To put it bluntly, critics are loving it – and not just in bland, copy-paste praise.
What The Reviews Are Actually Saying
If you like your ancient epics served up with existential dread, the odd laugh, and a dash of Nolan’s signature cinematic trickery, you’re in luck. Tori Brazier at Metro called it a real game-changer, crediting Nolan as possibly 'the only modern director with the ambition and guts' to reboot Homer at this scale.
Scott Collura over at IGN reckoned the film ‘adapts Homer through a new eye, bringing horror, existential angst, and even some humour to the mix’. He did point out it’s not perfect, but for him it’s still a cracking day out at the cinema.
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter gave the cast a special shout. While he thought the film could be uneven and perhaps not quite as sharp or complex as Oppenheimer, he reckoned the acting ensemble was 'blindingly charismatic' and lifts the whole enterprise.
Epic Cast, Epic Journey
As for the film itself, it’s Nolan’s grand retelling of Odysseus’ legendary struggle to get back to Ithaca after the Trojan War – monsters, angry gods, and all that jazz. The cast is, frankly, stacked: Matt Damon in the lead as Odysseus, joined by Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and a fair few others who’d be headliners in most other films, not just footnotes.
The Odyssey sails into UK theatres (and everywhere else) on 17 July 2026.