Classicist and translator Emily Wilson, whose acclaimed 2017 English translation of “The Odyssey” was cited by Christopher Nolan as an inspiration for his blockbuster film adaptation, has a scathing critique of the movie.
Ms. Wilson wrote in the London Review of Books that, while she was humbled to have inspired the project, she would “be ashamed to have written any part of the script.”
She said that when a character sets out to “sail beyond the sunset,” she “almost expected everyone to break into Elvish.”
In her opinion, Mr. Nolan’s version falls into what she calls his “usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality.” She went on to say the film’s overall vision was “too confused, its characters underdeveloped.”
Ms. Wilson also criticized the film’s female characters, saying Charlize Theron’s Calypso, Anne Hathaway’s Penelope and Zendaya’s Athena are given little to do compared with the characters in Homer’s epic poem.
She noted the culture wars ignited by the film, with prominent figures such as Elon Musk criticizing the casting of Black actors Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, Zendaya as Athena and Himesh Patel as Eurylochus. However, Ms. Wilson argued that there was “nothing progressive” about the film’s casting. Non-white actors, she said, were largely given roles supporting the White protagonist.
Despite the harsh assessment, Ms. Wilson wrote that she was glad audiences are turning out for the film and that it may help draw new readers to the classics.
Mr. Nolan’s $250 million production has performed strongly at the box office, taking in $264.1 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
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