Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey has been met with almost universal acclaim from film critics—most of whom are men. Catherine Shoard, a former film critic for the Sunday Telegraph, wonders if women will find the journey less comfortable. She recalls that when she started out in the mid-2000s, male critics outnumbered female by about eight to one. While she experienced no sexism in Soho, readers often reacted harshly to criticism of certain directors, including Nolan.
In 2020, Shoard reviewed Nolan's Tenet and received abusive online feedback, including comments like "silly cow," "bitter," and "probably a feminist." She notes that it is not Nolan's fault that some fans are emotional, nor that his films tend to appeal more to men. However, she argues that women should still review them, as engaging with art outside one's demographic is the point.
Female Critics and the Acclaim Gap
The only review of The Odyssey Shoard broadly agrees with was written by Stephanie Zacharek for Time, who did not like the film. Meanwhile, the vast majority of rave reviews were written by men. Shoard questions whether women will see their experiences represented with depth, accuracy, or interest. Even enthusiastic write-ups and assessments by classicists suggest women get a rough deal in the movie.
Zendaya's Athena, one of the top gods, has almost nothing to do but shadow Odysseus, nodding sadly like a disappointed teacher. Charlize Theron's Calypso functions only as a sounding board, ambling after him with drinks and lotus flowers, with no mention of her keeping him as a sex slave for eight years. Homer's Calypso is a great part; Nolan's is a woman who runs a beach bar.
Alterations That Diminish Female Roles
Samantha Morton's Circe starts promisingly, cooking a feast before vengefully turning men into pigs. Odysseus reverses the spell not through a year of sex and complex rhetoric, but with a quick word conceding men can be awful. These changes make women more boring or bonkers, serving to highlight Matt Damon's hero, changed from tricksy shagger to gentle feminist and super-cool warrior.
Shoard concludes that as the film storms the box office, she wonders how many in the audience might feel alienated—and nervous about saying so. She imagines the state of Zacharek's social media mentions and notes that high-resolution Imax makes everyone's pores enormous, an unavoidable byproduct that might upset viewers.
