Ben Shapiro Reviews The Odyssey

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The speaker gives Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey an enthusiastic review, calling it visually stunning, thematically strong, and one of the best films currently in theaters, while also identifying a few distracting casting and dialogue choices. He argues the film adapts the ancient text creatively, emphasizes moral themes about duty and natural law, and should not be dismissed by conservatives over a handful of politically charged missteps.

Main Topics: Overall verdict on the film (Priority: 5/5): The reviewer rates the movie between 8.5 and 9 out of 10 and repeatedly calls it a masterpiece, praising Nolan’s direction and the film’s emotional payoff. Adaptation of the Odyssey and added themes (Priority: 5/5): He argues Nolan takes liberties with the ancient source but uses them well, adding an overarching moral framework around guilt, exile, and natural law. Visual spectacle and technical craft (Priority: 5/5): The film is praised for iconic imagery, strong cinematography, and especially the fall of Troy, the Trojan horse sequence, Cyclops scenes, and creature encounters. Sound, score, and pacing issues (Priority: 4/5): He criticizes the sound mix for overwhelming dialogue at times and says the score is good but not among Goransson’s best; the first hour is slower and more episodic. Casting controversies and reactions from the political right (Priority: 5/5): He addresses objections to several casting choices, defending some as thematically justified while calling others unnecessary distractions. Conservative moral reading of the film (Priority: 4/5): He interprets the movie as broadly aligned with conservative ideas about natural law, order, responsibility, and the consequences of violating moral boundaries. Commercial and cultural takeaway (Priority: 4/5): Despite flaws, he predicts the film will make a fortune and argues audiences can separate a great film from a few objectionable choices.

Key Arguments: The film is one of Nolan’s strongest works, though slightly below his absolute top tier. Nolan improves on the source material by imposing a clearer thematic structure around guilt, exile, and moral order. The visuals and action set pieces are extraordinary and memorable enough to carry the movie. The sound mixing is a recurring flaw because the score sometimes buries dialogue. Some casting complaints are overstated because the film intentionally reframes certain characters and identities. Zendaya’s casting as Athena is defended as a symbolic choice tied to Odysseus’s trauma and the fusion of human and divine in his mind. The use of modern terms like dad and mom, and the casting of Elliot Page as Sinon, are treated as unnecessary and immersion-breaking errors. The movie’s broad moral message resonates with conservative ideas about natural law and consequences, even if some casting choices are politically annoying. Conservatives should not let dislike of one bad decision cause them to dismiss an otherwise excellent film. The film will likely succeed commercially because audiences prioritize entertainment and quality over isolated ideological complaints.

Data Points: Reviewer rating: 8.5 to 9 out of 10 - Overall assessment of the film’s quality First-hour pacing: First hour is slow and episodic - Describes early structure before the story intensifies Runtime structure: Halfway through - The reviewer says the film becomes clearer and stronger around the midpoint Odysseus’s absence: 10 years in Troy, then another 7 years missing - Used to explain his guilt and exile Casting objections listed: 5 specific issues - Travis Scott, Lapita Nyango, dad/mom language, Zendaya, Elliot Page Trojan War slaughter framing: 10 years of rage and anger - Used in describing the sack of Troy and Odysseus’s guilt

Pivotal Quotes: "Somewhere for me between an eight and a half and a nine." — Speaker: Opening verdict on the film "It turns out that people are willing to undergo some bad politics and some bad decision-making if the film is great." — Speaker: Concluding argument about audience response and culture-war complaints "The movie is a masterpiece." — Speaker: Strong praise for Nolan’s direction and the film overall

Implications: The review suggests The Odyssey will likely be a major hit despite controversy, and that audiences may accept ideological or casting missteps when the filmmaking is strong. It also frames the film as evidence that conservatives can critique specifics without rejecting the whole work.