Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," his IMAX adaptation of Homer's epic, has been shown to the film press for the first time, and the early reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Critics and journalists are describing it as a "staggering achievement" marked by "flawless filmmaking," suggesting Nolan has another major hit ahead of the film's cinema release on 17 July via Universal Pictures.

Reviewers singled out the scale and craft of the production, along with the cast, praising Matt Damon's "career-best" turn as Odysseus, Robert Pattinson as the villainous Antinous, and Tom Holland's more sensitive Telemachus. The sprawling ensemble also features Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page and Jon Bernthal. The film is notable as the first narrative feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras; Nolan filmed for 91 days last year and used over two million feet of film, saying he wanted to give mythological cinema the weight of a big-budget Hollywood IMAX production. Some critics noted minor clunkiness, though most felt the final act rewarded the journey.