(Photo Credit: Universal)
(“The Odyssey” trailer courtesy of Universal Pictures)
Forget the anti-woke activists who have a problem with the so-called woke and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) version of “The Odyssey” directed by Christopher Nolan.
Thankfully, Nolan operates in a mindstate that places merit over melanin (or lack thereof).
As a result, the 2026 version of “The Odyssey” is completely epic because Matt Doman is simply amazing as the lead character and Nolan does his thing, as always.
In any era, going off to war can be a nerve-wracking experience for everyone involved, not just the soldiers.
Going into battle means the possibility of never returning home.
If a soldier returns home, they often return changed forever, and not always in a good way.
Furthermore, loved ones who stay behind also change.
The lover or spouse a soldier leaves behind might begin to love someone else.
That sad reality has often led to soldiers surviving the battlefield, but succumbing to violence in the bedroom.
Additionally, soldiers often leave behind young children when they go off to serve their country.
Sometimes, the child is an infant or still in the womb.
Therefore, the child is often left with only stories about their father’s exploits and no tangible memories.
That is life in a nutshell for Odysseus (Damon).
Not only is Odysseus a soldier, but he is also the leader.
He is the king of Ithaca.
And a real king does not send his men to battle without putting his life on the line, too.
His absence means Ithaca does not have a king on the throne as the men of the land fight in the Trojan War against the soldiers of Troy.
His beautiful wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) is left alone to protect their castle and raise their young son Telemachus (Tom Holland).
As the war and the potential return home for the soldiers of Ithaca drag on for years and even decades, Telemachus grows into young adulthood.
Penelope is left trapped in a section of her castle, as the men of Ithaca attempt to woo her in Odysseus’ absence.
And Telemachus, Penelope and Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) desperately try to fend off the suitors until they hear word if Odysseus survived the war.
What makes the royal family’s situation so dire is that although Telemachus is of age, his slight frame and lack of fighting experience probably mean he is no match for some of the older, stronger and more violent suitors.
Telemachus practices fighting with Mentor.
But he has a long way to go to reach the skills of his famous father.
Furthermore, what makes the situation for Ithaca more dire is that without a present king, how can they defend themselves from possible threats like the dangerous sea people?
Suitors like Antinous (Robert Pattinson) and Corey Hawkins’ (“Straight Outta Compton”) character, Polybus, are ready to seize on the absence of Odysseus, even if it means bringing harm to his only son.
Meanwhile, Telemachus is determined not just to sit on his fanny while his family’s empire crumbles.
He is determined to hit the road and find out what truly happened to his absent father, even though the road might be more dangerous than the castle.
Although Telemachus finds it difficult to find Odysseus, comrades like Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) can tell him more about his father.
However, Odysseus’ ultimate fate becomes elusive for Telemachus.
At the same time. Nolan’s “The Odyssey” fills in the gaps of Odysseus’ fate and what it ultimately means for his family and the people of Ithaca.
What unfolds is the realities of war, people breaking the rules, leaving men behind and being destroyed by previously unknown enemies.
Although “The Odyssey” is an ancient story of Greek mythology, life stays the same in many regards regardless of the century.
Even for great men like Odysseus, there comes a time when one’s luck runs out.
There comes a time when those blindly following you start to question your leadership skills.
There comes a time when it is time to exit stage left to allow the new generation of leaders to take center stage.
That reality sounds a like like American politics, and not just Greek mythology.
Furthermore, there comes a time when future leaders must be thrown into the fire to see if they escape their dire predicament or burn to ashes.
No one is truly ever ready for war and leadership at the highest level.
Therefore, sometimes on-the-job training is the best preparation for real leaders.
Most importantly, “The Odyssey” deals with a reality that many superpowers have not realized, even in the 21st century.
And that is even though a country might see itself as a liberator and righteous, it might actually be the evil that they want to rid the world of.
Good intentions do not necessarily mean good decisions.
And bad decisions that leaders make in war are still bad even if they try to justify them by believing they are on the right side of history.
“The Odyssey” might be the best movie of 2026 thus far, with “Michael” coming in second place.
The entire cast does an exquisite job.
And expect to hear the names Damon, Holland and Hathaway a lot during the season of award nominations.
The only negative quality of “The Odyssey” is not even noticeable once the movie begins, and that is the length of the motion picture.
“The Odyssey” clocks in at two hours and 52 minutes.
But it is worth every second and then some.
And despite the sensitive people who want to claim everything is woke, moviegoers will not have a problem staying awake during “The Odyssey.”
In fact, they will be glad that they stayed woke!
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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