Emily Wilson, the translator of Homer's "The Odyssey" and a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, has sharply criticized Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of the epic poem. Wilson, who is the first woman to translate the work, described the film as "abysmal" in a review published in the London Review of Books.

Wilson stated in her review, titled "I would be ashamed to have written any part of this," that Nolan's "Odyssey" "has nothing convincing to say" and "lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth." She further elaborated that the film "lacks many of the elements that make the poem great," citing a "gimmicky" narrative structure and "abysmal" writing. Wilson also noted that the characters lacked convincing motivations and that "there are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."

Despite expecting Nolan's "affinity" for the story to lead to "new creative heights," Wilson found the adaptation to be a combination of "grandiosity and superficiality." She described the film as "too confused, its characters too underdeveloped," failing to deliver on its thematic promises.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Wilson echoed these sentiments, saying the film "didn't land emotionally for me at all," attributing this partly to the writing not being "very well written" compared to Homer's original work. She expressed doubt about the characters' depth, questioning whether the audience would care about the protagonist's return home.

These criticisms emerge after Nolan had previously praised Wilson and her translation during the film's press tour. He told Empire magazine that the opening line of her translation, "Tell me about a complicated man," served as inspiration for his vision of the character, highlighting Odysseus's genius, cleverness, and inventiveness.

Nolan's "The Odyssey," which stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Elliot Page, has received generally positive reviews from critics, achieving a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has also achieved significant box office success, grossing over $650 million globally in its initial two weekends. However, it has faced some criticism regarding its modern dialogue and casting choices.

Page Six has reached out to Nolan's representatives for comment. "The Odyssey" is currently in theaters.