Topline<\/p>\n
Reviews of the much-anticipated \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d rolled out Wednesday, and they\u2019re uniformly excellent\u2014with many critics hitting back at billionaire Elon Musk\u2019s anti-woke crusade that targeted the casting of Black actress Lupita Nyong\u2019o and transgender actor Elliot Page, with one calling it \u201cracist and ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musk has repeatedly criticized “The Odyssey” over director Christopher Nolan’s casting choices. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
AFP via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Odyssey,\u201d which opens in theaters this weekend, boasts a near-perfect 98% Rotten Tomatoes score and a \u201cCertified Fresh\u201d status based on the first 162 critics reviews.<\/p>\n
The reviews are the best of director Christopher Nolan\u2019s career, even higher than the 93% score for his 2023 Best Picture-winning \u201cOppenheimer.\u201d <\/p>\n
The movie\u2019s one high-profile critic\u2014Musk\u2014 repeatedly targeted<\/a> it and Nolan in posts on his X, calling the director \u201cracist against the Greek people\u201d for casting Nyong\u2019o and Page, and not Greek actors.<\/p>\n Musk also repeatedly amplified misinformation<\/a> about the movie, boosting posts that claimed Page is playing Achilles (he is not) and making false claims about diversity standards used to qualify for Academy Awards consideration. <\/p>\n What Have Critics Said About Musk\u2019s Anti-Woke Crusade?<\/p>\n Esquire\u2019s<\/a> review of \u201cThe Odyssey,\u201d which praises the movie as \u201cspectacular,\u201d slammed Musk\u2019s anti-\u201dOdyssey\u201d tirade as \u201ccontemptible,\u201d saying the only \u201ctravesty\u201d about casting Nyong\u2019o as Helen of Troy is the \u201cwaste of her talent in such a small role.\u201d In a five-star review, the Arizona Republic<\/a> called Musk\u2019s comments on Nyong\u2019o \u201cracist and ugly,\u201d criticizing him for using historical accuracy as a justification. \u201cI mean, is the cyclops accurate? Come on,\u201d reviewer Bill Goodykoontz wrote, suggesting \u201chaters should just go see\u201d the movie. Samuel Clench, reviewer for Australia\u2019s news.co.au<\/a>, condemned Musk for deciding the movie was \u201can insult to both Greek and broader Western culture\u201d months before release, \u201chaving not seen a single minute of the movie.\u201d Clench noted Page does not play Achilles, as Musk had suggested, and praised the actor\u2019s performance. Hollywood Reporter<\/a> critic David Rooney said he would \u201crefuse to get into the tiresome online controversy about Nolan\u2019s unconventional casting choices,\u201d noting since \u201cnobody here is Greek or Turkish, complaining about one or two actors dismissed as \u2018DEI hires\u2019 is absurd.\u201d Rooney\u2019s review named Nyong\u2019o alongside Zendaya and Mia Goth as \u201cvital presences,\u201d despite their roles having \u201climited scope.\u201d<\/p>\n How Has Nolan Responded To Musk?<\/p>\n In an interview<\/a> last week, Nolan called the controversy over his casting choices \u201cirrelevant\u201d because nobody participating in the anti-woke backlash had actually seen the movie yet. Nolan said he has often dealt with such backlash throughout his career, including when he directed a trio of \u201cBatman\u201d movies, noting the character is decades old and \u201ca lot of freighted thoughts were out there about what he represents.\u201d<\/p>\n What Else Has Musk Said About \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d?<\/p>\n Musk accused<\/a> Nolan of \u201cdesecrating Homer\u201d and said in response to a post criticizing Nyong\u2019o\u2019s casting that Nolan has \u201clost his integrity.\u201d He also falsely accused Nolan of boosting his film\u2019s diversity to qualify for Oscars consideration. Musk responded, \u201cTrue,\u201d to a post that falsely claimed films must meet three diversity standards to be eligible for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, including a claim 30% of a film\u2019s cast must be non-white or non-straight people\u2014but these are just some of the multiple criteria films can meet for eligibility.<\/p>\n what to watch for<\/p>\n How much \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d will make in its opening weekend and beyond. The movie, produced on a massive $250 million budget, is expected to be a hit, as tickets went on sale months in advance and plenty of screenings are sold out. Variety<\/a> projected an opening weekend sum of $90 million to $100 million, while Deadline<\/a> projected an opening between $85 million and $100 million. <\/p>\n further reading<\/p>\n