Seeing “The Odyssey” once probably isn’t sufficient.

And, honestly, even after a second viewing, it’s difficult to know precisely how to feel about acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s nearly three-hour adaptation of the ancient poem by Homer chronicling the yearslong, danger-filled journey home by a Greek king, Odysseus, following the events of the Trojan War.

Nolan — the director of “Inception,” “The Dark Knight,” “Dunkirk,” “Tenet,” “Oppenheimer” and other memorable films — takes much from Homer’s text and infuses it with clever inventions that provide even more food for thought. He does this in the way you would expect, presenting Odysseus’ journey in a hurricane of impactful visuals and an ear-banging soundscape that is as thrilling as it is taxing.

Hey, why should experiencing “The Odyssey” be easy?

Famously, Nolan shot the film entirely in 70 mm IMAX, requiring the use of large, heavy cameras and allowing for an even more impactful visual presentation in theaters equipped with the right tech — which likely are charging a few extra bucks for a ticket.

If that kind of thing doesn’t do it for you, perhaps the fact that “The Odyssey” is loaded with well-known stars does. Matt Damon — who played supporting roles in “Oppenheimer” and Nolan’s “Interstellar” — leads the cast as Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway (Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises”) and Tom Holland, respectively, portraying the king of Ithaca’s wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Other notables in the sprawling cast include Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page and Mia Goth.

As both writer and director of “The Odyssey,” Nolan explores man’s need for violence, his treatment of strangers and much more as he works through many of the major events from the poem.

“Do we have enough provisions?” Patel’s Eurylochus asks Odysseus when the latter eschews the potentially shorter route home that will be taken by the leader of the forces, Agamemnon (Benny Safdie), for one more demanding.

“We’ve taken enough from Troy,” Odysseus says. “Another stop or two won’t kill us.”

Those stops — well more than two — involve, among other trials, encounters with the giant Cyclops, the smaller but still larger and ferocious Laestrygonians and the mysterious Circe (Samantha Morton). The journey also entails passing by the Sirens, who sing their enchanting and tormenting song; navigating by a giant whirlpool; and venturing into the underworld.

Nolan adopts the poem’s nonlinear approach, and it fits like a glove, with much of the tale being told in recollections by Odysseus, as he dines on lotus flowers fed to him by the lovely Calypso (Theron), and Menelaus, who regales the visiting Telemachus with tales of the young man’s father’s glories in battle.

Telemachus is desperate to prove that his father has not, as so many believe, perished. The king’s home has become overrun by suitors, men vying for the hand of the seemingly widowed queen, Penelope, who remains behind a screen working on a symbolic garment. She wants nothing to do with the generally obnoxious men, including Pattinson’s scheming Antinous, who eat her husband’s food, drink his wine and look for a chance to off his son, and she resists their pursuits for as long as she can.

It is not lost on her that, years ago, before he left for war, Odysseus insisted she promise that, were he not to return, she would take a new husband.

“Promise me you’ll return,” she counters in this intimate moment early on in the film.

Nolan’s "Odyssey" is gripping, immersive and thematically rich. But it isn’t perfect.

While certainly not overdoing it, Nolan uses what can be distractingly modern language. That’s surely to appeal to a modern audience, but it’s a bit obtrusive, for example, every time Telemachus refers to Odysseus as his “dad” instead of his “father.” To be clear, we’re picking a nit here, nothing more.

Also, something feels off-key when the climactic stretch of “The Odyssey” turns into something akin to “Ancient John Wick,” but this violent stretch does track with Homer’s writing.

That said, do not count us among those questioning the film’s multiracial casting, with at least one prominent voice objecting to Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave,” “Us”), a Black actor, portraying Helen of Troy and her twin sister, Clytemnestra.

At the end of the day, this is a terrific cast, with the understated performance by British Indian actor Patel (“Yesterday”) as Eurylochus, Odysseus’ loyal-to-a-point second-in-command, standing as one of the film’s best.

Also, Leguizamo (“Moulin Rouge!”) gives one of the best performances of his career as Eumaeus, Odysseus’ fiercely loyal and blind swineherd.

Damon is also quite good as this relatable Odysseus, who takes what he sees as an ethical approach to hunting and who wrestles greatly with what he has done, as well as what he must yet do.

However, given the size and importance of their roles, the work of Hathaway (“The Devil Wears Prada 2”) and Holland (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”) is vaguely underwhelming if certainly passable.

Nolan wants you to enjoy what is, with the help of repeat collaborators such as cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (“Dunkirk,” “Oppenheimer”) and composer Ludwig Göransson (“Tenet,” “Oppenheimer”), a wild and entirely engrossing film. However, he’ll also have you walking out of the theater thinking about “Zeus’ law,” “the people from the sea” and how the themes attached to them resonate today.

This may not be his best film — we’d still give that honor to the Academy Award-winning “Oppenheimer” — but make no mistake about it: It is quite an achievement.

You won’t soon forget this journey, even as we consider embarking upon it a third time.

———

'THE ODYSSEY'

3.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for violence and some language)

Running time: 2:52

How to watch: In theaters July 17

———

©2026 The News-Herald (Willoughby, Ohio). Visit The News-Herald (Willoughby, Ohio) at www.news-herald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.