Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey has generated significant audience fear and discussion by weaving horror elements throughout what is traditionally an adventure narrative. The unexpected presence of genuinely frightening scenes has prompted audiences to wonder whether the acclaimed director might create a horror film as his primary project, a question Nolan has addressed with humor, suggesting fans need only purchase tickets rather than lobby for such a film.

The director deploys horror techniques drawn from various subgenres to construct unsettling moments. Notable sequences include a scene where a character transforms Odysseus' soldiers through grotesque body-horror methods reminiscent of classic monster films, a cave sequence functioning as survival horror with increasing fatalities, and imagery potentially representing the protagonist's psychological guilt manifested visually. Sound design plays a crucial role, particularly through processed and amplified screams that heighten the disturbing atmosphere throughout the film.