Not to boast, but I have now seen The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm (as Nolan intended, praise be to the IMAX ticket overlords etc.). Undeniably, it was stunning and an incredible cinematic experience. Also, undeniably, I am very lucky to live close enough to one of the 41 cinemas in the world that can show it in that format. I wanted to discuss the IMAX 70mm experience within the context of the IMAX frenzy that this film has kicked off, with hype reaching such a fever pitch that the belief that has spread that seeing it at your regular cinema isn’t really seeing the film. If the vast majority of the world can only see it that way, is that really the case?

My first viewing of The Odyssey was at my local Cineworld as I didn’t get IMAX 70mm tickets until the second week (I didn’t even have my tickets by the time it came out, IMAX-less but for the grace of the London Science Museum programmers adding some additional screenings). No way was I waiting to watch this film; I am much more a film and Nolan fan than an IMAX purist so I was experiencing The Odyssey any way I could opening weekend. I still made sure I caught it at the biggest screen of my local multiplex and trusted in Nolan’s specificities that the sound, even there, would be ratcheted up (and it was). That first watch, despite only seeing it in a regular old aspect ratio, was phenomenal. The strength of the filmmaking and story were not diminished by the fact I was missing the top and bottom of the screen. Clearly, Nolan and Hoyte Van Hoytema are not ignorant of the fact that most audiences will not get to see an IMAX 70mm print and bar very few shots, the film is framed to ensure the action is captured in 1:85, and the beauty of the cinematography can still be appreciated. However, I did find myself wandering about what I was missing, my imagination filling out the frame beyond the cinema screen, and during the handful of shots where it did feel like something was cut off (not in a way significant to the story), I did feel slightly like I was seeing something second best.

My second viewing was at the London Science Museum, a little over a week later. The scale of the IMAX screen is incredible; whilst the London Science Museum’s screen isn’t quite the jaw-dropping size of the BFI IMAX, my favourite, it is still something to behold. When the film began, I quite literally felt I was inside The Odyssey. The framing in its full glory is absolutely stunning; the additional space in the shots was not merely peripheral information, but genuinely showcased the full scale of the sets, the mythical creatures and everything else (it felt as though the cyclops was full-scale and might just eat one of us in the audience). The gorgeously evocative shots of isolation, with Odysseus a small figure in the middle of the screen were breathtaking. The sound, too, was incredibly powerful. My local cinema had clearly been under strict instructions so that it was felt there too – almost shaking the seats – but in the IMAX, you felt it reverberating in your chest. The entire experience of IMAX 70mm is so all-encompassing, it becomes an assault on the senses in the best way possible, and the beauty of seeing a film entirely shot in IMAX 70mm meant that there were no aspect ratio switches to slightly take you out of the film.

Now, the hype surrounding IMAX 70mm for The Odyssey has become a cultural phenomenon in itself. Round-the-clock screenings at the BFI IMAX have sold out – 4am ticket-holders, I salute you – and people are travelling across countries to see one of the glorious film prints. Screenings are sold out for months – good luck to any films coming later this year that had hoped for an IMAX run – and ticket releases are becoming core dates in the diary, with the battle for a decent seat, or a seat at all, becoming akin to the biggest concert tours. IMAX-fever has expanded far beyond the cinephile circle, with those who previously would have no interest in the format willing to pay the premium and travel costs to make it. I have a friend who will be seeing The Odyssey at the BFI IMAX in 70mm in September who simply told me that she is seeing it at ‘the London IMAX’. When I assumed that was BFI (I had taken her to Dunkirk there back in 2017) and told her that meant she must be seeing it in 70mm, she said ‘I don’t know how many mm’. Honestly kind of funny to me, probably infuriating to those who understand the formats and didn’t get a golden ticket. Just another example of person swept up in the frenzy. For cinephiles, it has become a sort of pilgrimage or badge of honour, with people going to lengths to get themselves to a screening. Resale prices have been ridiculous (and exploitative), as people strive witness film history. It is fantastic that this is something that has brought so many people together even outside of the film itself, but it has left those with only the option of regular formats feeling shortchanged.

So, having seen both, was the trip to see the film in IMAX 70mm worth it? Yes, it absolutely was, it was an all-encompassing experience that quite literally took my breath away. Do I think that The Odyssey cannot be fully appreciated outside of this format? Generally, no. Whilst clearly the scaled-up cinematography cannot be appreciated in its full glory, the film is the sum of its parts and still makes for monumental viewing even in a more standard aspect ratio. If you were unaware that the IMAX version even existed, you would rarely even suspect that you weren’t getting the full picture. I think the IMAX frenzy around the film’s release is both a positive and a negative. It is great to get more people into the conversation of film formats and if it helps to boost IMAX use for the future, that could open the door to some great cinematic experiences. However, the emphasis on this history-making use of IMAX has genuinely led people to feel as though they are getting an inferior experience, also prompting accusations of elitism and exclusionary art, due to the very few cinemas able to show the film as it was shot. This is where, I believe, the conversation has snowballed out of control.

If a film could only be truly appreciated in 41 locations on the entire planet, that would make it a pretty ridiculous filmmaking decision. I am aware that I am coming at this from the privileged position of having seen the film in this gold dust format and I would probably be feeling a little differently had I not, but before I managed to snag a ticket, I too was feeling a little bruised by the conversation. As with previous films with sequences shot on IMAX, Nolan’s included, it should be viewed that IMAX 70mm is an enhanced viewing option, but an entirely optional one; a different experience, but not one whose existence should diminish the experiences of the majority of formats. I first saw Interstellar at my local Cineworld and fell in love with it; I later saw it in IMAX which was a cool experience but actually no more impactful on me than that first trip to the multiplex. I have fallen in love with films watched on my TV or laptop (forgive me, needs must – I will never watch a film for the first time on my phone though, believe me), films I have never witnessed on the big screen. The filmmaking and storytelling can speak for themselves, and the existence of other formats should not dictate how you feel about your experience. I also, personally, feel like saying that I believe a well-positioned seat at the biggest screen at my local cinema would probably offer me a better experience than the distortion of a front-row, side seat at the IMAX. But that’s just me.

The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm is undoubtedly an outstanding experience and if you do you have the chance to catch it in that format, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Even if that is your hope, remember, this is both a Nolan film and the only film ever shot fully in IMAX, it is going to get repeat screenings for the rest of time; this initial run will not be your only chance. See The Odyssey in any format you can regardless. You will not have a diminished experience. This is a film that simply deserves to be seen on the big screen, even if it isn’t the biggest one in the world. It is an astounding piece of filmmaking, not matter the aspect ratio. Block out the noise and let yourself be swept away to ancient Greece. I can assure you the journey is just as thrilling. 

You can check out my review of The Odyssey here.

I have now typed The Odyssey too many times and it doesn’t look like a real word anymore.

An update: I have since seen the film again in the standard format and knowing what I was missing definitely made it more noticeable…not enough to detract from the overall experience of the film, but at certain moments I definitely missed that expanded aspect ratio. Maybe this is a case of what you don’t know can’t hurt you…unfortunately, the knowledge of the full 70mm glory hurts more than its marketing-conjured spectre.