Why History Nerds Are Mad at Nolan’s The Odyssey—And Why It’s Fine

Every day I wake up and take a costly set of multivitamins and drink a protein shake with scoops of creatine and powered greens, all because I want to make sure I can live healthy through next year, so I can see Christopher Nolan's newest movie, The Odyssey, on the biggest screen possible.

The hype around the movie is palpable. It was shot entirely on IMAX, sold out opening tickets in just a few minutes, and now...has hit that level of virality on social media as a bunch of nerds get upset at the anachronisms they saw in image sneak previews and a teaser trailer.

They say you aren't successful unless you give a few haters.

Let's dive in.

What Is The Odyssey?

The Odyssey is one of the two foundational epic poems of ancient Greek literature, traditionally attributed to the poet Homer.

It tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his arduous, ten-year journey home following the Trojan War. You know, the one where they all piled into the horse and sprang out at night.

The poem details his encounters with mythical creatures like the Cyclops and the Sirens, the wrath of the gods, and the ultimate struggle to reclaim his kingdom and his wife, Penelope, from a host of aggressive suitors, by shooting an arrow through 12 axeheads.

The poem was likely composed around the 8th century BCE and serves as a crucial text that offers deep insights into Greek concepts of identity, hospitality (xenia), fate, and the nature of civilization itself.

I had to read it in college, so I am sentimental about the Robert Fagles translation, but I actually just bought the Emily Wilson one, which I am excited to check out as well.

But the most important thing you need to learn from this section is that The Odyssey is a work of fiction.

The Odyssey Is A Fictional Movie

When I logged onto Twitter to see a sneak preview of the costumes that had been posted, I found a bunch of history nerds losing their minds over the costumes in the movie.

The adaptation of a foundational text like Homer's The Odyssey for the screen is always a tightrope walk.

You need to respect the source material while making it palatable for a modern audience.

Also, this is a Christopher Nolan movie, so he's going to do what he wants and make the movie he wants, and we kind of just have to let him because he might be the most important director working right now in the prime of his career, coming off a biopic that almost made a billion dollars.

But the history and classics nerds are already preparing their strongly worded forum posts about what Nolan got wrong.

The Anachronisms

The core issue isn't usually the plot, which we can assume follows the myth, but we won't know if it takes liberties until later.

People seem to be most upset about the visual and cultural details from the film that they feel do not reflect what they would want in the movie or how they would make the movie.

The main issue that went viral was the armor and weapons.

Nolan's images and trailer revealed a gladiatorial-style leather armor and polished steel swords.

But in reality, according to the internet, the heroes of the Trojan War era (Mycenaean Greece, c. 1600–1100 BCE) would be clad in Dendra-style bronze plate or stiffened linen/leather armor, wielding short bronze swords and massive shields. They would also be colorful and maybe have some tassels.

People also seem to hate the diversity in the cast, with black and asian actors seen in some images. Again, this is a totally fake story, so I am not sure how a little diversity would hurt anyone. It's always nicer under a big tent, and not one that tosses people out.

These are all arguments you can make, but it feels like getting upset at the flavor of someone else's birthday cake.

This is a Hollywood epic, not a textbook.

The director is taking an ancient myth and delivering his own personal, cinematic vision. You absolutely can and should criticize it, but just saying "I wish it were different" isn't helpful.

Better to engage with the movie as art and tell us how it makes you feel. Or, you know, go out and make your own version!

This is not supposed to be accurate; it's supposed to be entertaining.

Summing It All Up

Here's the thing, for the history nerds, every change, every polished piece of armor, and every simplified character arc is a betrayal of a text that represents one of the most important windows into the ancient Western mind.

But I think these reactions take away from the artist we have working right now. Christopher Nolan is presenting you with his vision.

If you hate it, don't see it.

Let me know what you think in the comments.