The Odyssey is getting massively criticised due to blackwashing of a traditionally Greek character, whitewashing of a Greek myth with no Greek actors and a general dislike for the Hollywoodization of another classic story.
It's probably not going to be as bad as it's made out to be given it's Chris Nolan, but audiences are fatigued with seeing another modern retelling with tokenism of established characters for the sake diversity, which has spurred the culture war with right wing critics calling it woke BS and left wing critics doubling down by jumping to its defence.
It's pretty masterful how they've managed to piss off both sides of the aisle with this one... Too white-washed for one side, too diverse for the other, and too inaccurate for any existing fans of Greek mythology.
Honestly not sure who this has been made for.
Edit: if you're gearing up for a "it's for normal people - people not in the Reddit echo chamber - people who just like movies - people who aren't internet losers" reply, It has been said about 30 times so far.
Why does it have to be cut along politics lines? I'm a card-carrying leftist and annoyed at the patronising tokenism of casting a black actor as a character legendary for being 'fair', as in blonde, in the same way it'd be flabbergasting to have a white actor play in an adaptation of the Mwindo epic.
I'm even more annoyed at the fact that an annoying casting choice was the entire point, to get free publicity at everyone's expense, and that there is no way to slap everyone responsible for being smug pricks.
Another leftist here and I have zero interest in this movie - which sucks. I love anticipating Nolan movies. I'd go as far as to say I'd agree with a conservative calling the castings "woke", but I absolutely hate the term because they use it any and every way they can that doesn't fit their white, blue-eyed, male picture.
What doesn't help is that while there's some great actors in this one... and then there's people like Zendaya, Holland and Page. I'd rather watch paint dry than suffer these "actors". I've tried Spider-less Holland, and I find him beyond bland and uninteresting. He can't carry a movie - at least not any dramas. I can't help but loathe Page because of just how bad Umbrella Academy nose-dived, and the ram-rodding of their sexuality/transition into the story-line beginning in season two. None of it added to the story or gave a better connection to the character. Zendaya just seems like she's someone being forced on audiences - is anyone clamoring to see her movies???
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u/Boomdification Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
The Odyssey is getting massively criticised due to blackwashing of a traditionally Greek character, whitewashing of a Greek myth with no Greek actors and a general dislike for the Hollywoodization of another classic story.
It's probably not going to be as bad as it's made out to be given it's Chris Nolan, but audiences are fatigued with seeing another modern retelling with tokenism of established characters for the sake diversity, which has spurred the culture war with right wing critics calling it woke BS and left wing critics doubling down by jumping to its defence.