Christopher Nolan's recently released film "The Odyssey" has faced significant backlash from conservative critics who labeled its diverse casting as "woke." However, an analysis of the film's runtime reveals that the actors who drew the most criticism have surprisingly small roles.
Zendaya, who plays the goddess Athena, has approximately two minutes of screen time. Rapper Travis Scott's presence in the film is estimated to be similar or less. Lupita Nyong'o appears for about three minutes, and transgender actor Elliot Page, whose casting sparked considerable controversy, is featured for roughly five minutes.
In contrast, Matt Damon, portraying Odysseus, is featured in approximately 46 scenes, dominating the film's 172-minute runtime. Tom Holland, playing Telemachus, has the next most significant screen time, followed by Anne Hathaway, who plays Penelope.
The online reaction to this revelation has been mixed, with some moviegoers and commentators mocking the intensity of the initial backlash. "Conservatives started a culture war over Lupita just for her to have three minutes of screen time," one user on X commented. Another user noted that for "all the craziness folks with racist loins had to say about Lupita's casting in the Odyssey, her role is very minimal but powerful as hell."
Progressive media outlets and commentators have also weighed in. YouTuber Natalie Wynn described the film as "good, maybe Nolan’s best, and not even slightly ‘woke,’" adding that "the right-wing hysteria is amazingly detached from reality." The official X account for "The Odyssey" was reportedly forced to restrict comments due to an influx of complaints and racist remarks regarding the film's cast.
Despite the early controversy, "The Odyssey" has received critical acclaim, achieving a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score further exceeds the critics' score, with 97% of viewers giving the film a positive review. Critics have praised Nolan's adaptation for its cinematic quality and storytelling.
Brian Viner of the Daily Mail called it a "glorious cinematic experience, a triumph both of story-telling and movie-making." Metro's Tori Brazier described the film as "a watershed moment for filmmaking," and Guy Lodge for Variety lauded Nolan's "take on Homer" as "thorough, robust and attentive both to scholarly detail and old-school moviemaking craft."