If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to stand on the deck of a ship being tossed by Poseidon’s wrath, Christopher Nolan is finally giving you the chance to find out. His latest epic, The Odyssey is a sensory assault of the highest order. Shot entirely using cutting-edge IMAX film cameras, including a newly engineered “blimp” enclosure that finally allows for synchronised sound during dialogue-heavy scenes, this is the first feature film ever to be captured completely in this format and the story Nolan is telling demands the biggest screen possible.
Seeing it on a 70mm print at IMAX Melbourne is a rare privilege that my plus one and I got to experience a few days before the world-wide release. These screenings are part of a global handful of venues capable of projecting the film exactly as Nolan intended: filling every inch of that massive 1.43:1 aspect ratio.
The film itself is a mythic reimagining of Homer’s foundational saga, following Odysseus (a lean, scraggly-bearded Matt Damon) as he navigates the treacherous seas following the Trojan War. After years of war, the legendary king of Ithaca simply wants to return home to his wife, Penelope (an always excellent Anne Hathaway), and son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), but the gods of Olympus, specifically a vengeful Poseidon, have other, much more complicated plans.
The ensemble cast is nothing short of an A-list summit. Beyond the leads, you’ve got Robert Pattinson in a deliciously sleazy turn as the suitor Antinous, Zendaya as a divine Athena, and Charlize Theron as the ethereal Calypso. With Lupita Nyong’o taking on the dual roles of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, and Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, the screen is perpetually packed with talent that grounds the ancient, supernatural stakes in raw human drama.
For all the talk of high-tech cameras and legendary myths, keep a close eye on the ship’s crew in the background. Apparently, Nolan insisted on genuine, period-accurate maritime training for every extra on board, so if they look like they’re actually capable of navigating a trireme through a mythological storm, it’s because they’ve essentially spent the last year learning how to sail one.
Spanning 172 minutes of relentless pacing, Odyssey is a masterclass in cinematic craftsmanship. It’s visceral, it’s grand, and it’s arguably the most “essential” cinematic experience of 2026.
– The Plus Ones
