Ben Shapiro has officially weighed in on Christopher Nolan’s new Greek epic, The Odyssey, declaring it a masterpiece during an 18-minute review posted to his YouTube channel on Saturday. While the film has faced significant conservative outrage regarding its casting choices and historical accuracy, Shapiro remains firmly in the director’s corner. He believes the final product is a standout achievement that cements Nolan’s status in the industry, Variety reported.

“Nolan is unparalleled. He’s the best director working today, without a doubt. He just creates iconic movie after iconic movie,” Shapiro said. He also had plenty of kind words for Matt Damon, who takes on the lead role of Odysseus. He noted that the actor is great in nearly everything and added, “I think he’s great in nearly everything. He sort of disappears into the part in a way that he doesn’t in a lot of other movies. He’s great as Odysseus.”

Beyond the lead, Shapiro spent time praising the supporting cast for their performances. He pointed out that Robert Pattinson brings a specific energy to the role of Antinous, describing him as “an excellent antagonist. He’s sleazy and gross.” He also complimented the inclusion of Tom Holland as Telemachus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope, stating that both actors do a great job in their respective roles.

One particular casting decision that’s seen the most online debate is Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy. Shapiro addressed the backlash directly, pushing back against those who felt the casting was inconsistent with historical expectations. He pointed out that previous portrayals, such as Diane Kruger, were not necessarily defined by their Greek heritage either.

Shapiro also noted that the script itself shifts the focus of the conflict. “So, I know a lot of people were like, ‘Oh my god, Lupita Nyong’o is supposed to look like Diane Kruger.’ I don’t know. Diane Krueger doesn’t look very Greek. She’s German,” Shapiro said. “Lupita Nyong’o is a beautiful woman. But here’s the thing, actually, in the script, Nolan goes out of his way to explain that the war wasn’t really launched over Helen being gorgeous.”

Shapiro did not agree with every creative choice, however. He found the inclusion of Elliot Page as Sinon to be a confusing decision, labeling the casting an “absolute puzzler.” He argued that the physical presence of the actor did not fit the role, stating that he is “about 5’2 and 105 pounds soaking wet and has the voice of a woman. It doesn’t work.”

Despite the vocal opposition from figures like Elon Musk, Christopher Nolan seems completely unfazed by the online discourse. He recently shared his perspective with The Telegraph, noting that this type of reaction is something he has grown accustomed to throughout his career. He explained that online backlash “comes with the territory” when making a blockbuster.

For Nolan, the pressure of adapting legendary material is nothing new. “Remember, I spent 10 years of my life dealing with Batman,” Nolan explained. “When I came on ‘Begins,’ writers and artists had been working on this beloved character for almost 65 years, and a lot of freighted thoughts were out there about what he represents. And what I learnt over my time on that trilogy is you can’t worry about any of that at all. What you have to do is honor the original text by interpreting it in the strongest way you personally can.”

It is clear that Nolan is focused on his own vision, regardless of the noise surrounding his latest project.

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