Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is hailing Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey” as a “masterpiece,” despite conservative outrage over the film’s casting and historical accuracy.
Mr. Shapiro described Mr. Nolan as “unparalleled” and “the best director working today” in an 18-minute YouTube review, praising the Oscar-winning director’s ability to produce one iconic movie after another.
He also lauded Matt Damon’s performance as Odysseus, saying the actor largely “disappears into the role” in a way he doesn’t in other films.
Mr. Shapiro pushed back against conservative criticism of the casting of Lupita Nyong’o, who is Black, as Helen of Troy, the Greek princess whose abduction sparks the Trojan War. He said the script makes clear the war wasn’t really launched because of Helen’s looks.
However, Mr. Shapiro hit the casting of trans actor Elliot Page as the Greek warrior Sinon, calling it an “absolute puzzler.” He said the actor “is about 5-foot-2 and 105 pounds soaking wet and has the voice of a woman. It doesn’t work.”
Still, Mr. Shapiro urged fellow conservatives not to dismiss a film just because they disagree with certain casting choices.
“If conservatives want to be effective in the culture, you can’t just label the entire piece of art ’bad’ because a decision in the art is bad,” he says in the video.
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