Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated epic The Odyssey arrived in cinemas on Friday, 17 July, with critics and early audiences singling out Elliot Page’s performance for praise.
Adapted from Homer’s ancient Greek poem, the film follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War.
Matt Damon leads the cast as Odysseus, whose lengthy journey to reunite with his wife, Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, brings him face to face with gods, monsters and other mythical beings.
The ensemble also includes Tom Holland as Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Zendaya as Athena and Charlize Theron as Calypso.
Page Returns to a Christopher Nolan Film
Page plays Sinon, a Greek soldier who becomes central to the film’s depiction of the Trojan Horse.
The role marks a significant mainstream appearance for the 39-year-old Canadian actor following his transition. It also reunites Page with Nolan after the pair previously worked together on the 2010 science-fiction thriller Inception.
Before the film’s release, right-wing commentators criticised Page’s casting amid rumours he would be playing the legendary warrior Achilles.
Page was ultimately revealed to be playing Sinon, while Nolan dismissed the wider backlash surrounding the film’s casting as “irrelevant”.
Critics Praise Page’s Performance as Sinon
Reviews have highlighted Page’s performance despite the film’s large cast and sprawling story.
Variety praised his contribution to one of its most ambitious set pieces.
“The Trojan Horse sequence, delivered after a teasing setup involving Elliot Page’s tersely vulnerable sacrificial soldier Sinon, is as rousing and as funny as you’d hope,” the publication’s review said.
RogerEbert.com noted that Page “plays a pivotal role” in the story, describing the character as an inventive “twist on the ‘naive boy soldier fated to die’ trope”.
NME also included Page among the supporting actors “somehow standing out across the film’s sprawling three-hour runtime”.
Cruising Cinema offered even stronger praise, declaring that the actor “steals the entire film with a haunting performance plucked from Hades itself”.
Audiences Respond to Page’s Emotional Role
Viewers have also celebrated Page’s performance, particularly in response to the hostility that followed his casting.
“All the transphobes will be disappointed to know that Elliot Page was f****** incredible in The Odyssey,” one audience member wrote.
Another critic said Page was responsible for one of the film’s most affecting scenes.
“I ran out of room in my (forthcoming) Odyssey review but am thrilled to inform the haters, losers, and bigots that Elliot Page is SUBLIME IN THIS MOVIE.
“[Page is] expertly deployed by Chris Nolan for one of the film’s most emotional moments.”
Page’s role may be relatively small within The Odyssey’s expansive ensemble, but the early response suggests his portrayal of Sinon has made a lasting impression.
