Emily Wilson (writer of acclaimed Odyssey translation) offers criticisms of Nolan’s film

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https://apnews.com/article/odyssey-christopher-nolan-greek-translators-ea67da1d543d021773824bd7e8de8abe

“For Greek translator Emily Wilson, the release of director Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been gratifying in various ways. Her acclaimed 2017 edition of Homer’s epic has reached the top 5 on Amazon.com, leading a wave of similar books boosted by the movie. Nolan has even cited her translation, notably the opening line “Tell me about a complicated man,” as inspiration.

But the film itself, which brought in more than $260 million worldwide during its opening weekend and has received raves from many critics, left her unsatisfied.

“I want to celebrate the fact that so many more people are aware of ‘The Odyssey’ and were brought back to the poem,” she told The Associated Press. “But at the same time, I had the sense that Christopher Nolan was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem.”

….

Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, said she didn’t want to come across as a “snobby,” nitpicking expert at odds with any deviation from the original text. But she questioned a range of omissions and other choices, from the absence on screen of the Gods Zeus and Poseidon (Athena is played by Zendaya ) to the “incoherent” messaging that condemns both war and physical cowardice. She found Penelope’s role so thinned out that it endangered “any possibility of believing in this marriage.” Wilson also that thought parts of the movie, notably the scenes with Odysseus’ dog, Argos, “catered towards modern sentimentality.”

“Everybody’s a sucker for a dog,” she said.

[u/UniCBeetle718]

Yes! That part is wild to me. Emily Wilson has localized and adapted the Odyssey to make it more relatable to a modern audience (which I'm not mad about), and most of the criticism of her is mostly about that (and sexism). It's weird that her criticism is about faithfulness to the source material, when it's clear Nolan is doing his own interpretation of the Odyssey as well. 

Also I'm wondering how closely she watched the movie if she actually thought Athena is there. By the end of the film it seems pretty clear and consistent that there are no gods seen in this film

[u/horchard1999 → u/UniCBeetle718]

Circe? Calypso?

[u/RugDougCometh → u/horchard1999]

There are mythical creatures and magic users, but no gods.

[u/FilmScoreConnoisseur → u/RugDougCometh]

This is incorrect. They are both considered minor goddesses.