If you went to the multiplex this weekend, it's more than likely that you saw Christopher Nolan's latest blockbuster epic, The Odyssey. The movie's been smashing through the box office and getting rave reviews from critics the world over.
The Odyssey's success is far from surprising, but it is fairly satisfying in part because of all the right-wing outrage the film's faced for months surrounding its diverse casting. The person who's driven a lot of the public criticism is none other than noted punishment-glutton Elon Musk, who's gotten dunked on multiple times for all of his whining.
Well, it looks like ol' Elon has one less right-wing guy in his corner regarding The Odyssey: podcaster Ben Shapiro, who mostly lavished a shocking amount of praise on the film during an 18-minute YouTube video he dedicated specifically to the film itself.
“Nolan is unparalleled," Ben said, referring to The Odyssey as "a masterpiece." A masterpiece! "He’s the best director working today, without a doubt," he added. "He just creates iconic movie after iconic movie."
In regards to the film's lead actor Matt Damon, Ben said that 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.”
Ben went on to lavish praise on multiple actors who starred in the film. “Robert Pattinson as Antinous is an excellent antagonist," he said. "He’s sleazy and gross. Tom Holland as Telemachus is excellent, well cast. Anne Hathaway does a great job as Penelope.”
Most shockingly, Ben defended one of Elon's main targets: Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Helen of Troy in the film. “So, I know a lot of people were like, ‘Oh my god, Lupita Nyong’o is supposed to look like Diane Kruger,’" he said. "I don’t know. Diane Kruger doesn’t look very Greek. She’s German. 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.”
Now, let's be clear about something: You absolutely do not have to hand it to Ben Shapiro, on this topic or anything at all. (It's worth noting, for example, that he does heavily criticize Elliot Page's performance in the video, using language that tilts toward anti-trans rhetoric.) But you can definitely laugh at the how-the-tables-turn hypocrisy of it all, and that's exactly what the internet is doing:
"High pitched podcaster likes a movie," one Twitter user cracked.
"film so good even the grifters had to concede lmao," another wrote.
"It's so funny how he doesn't have to pretend to be outraged at everything anymore because he's split with the wider online right," another commenter (very aptly!) observed.
One commenter (not unfairly, to be clear!) pointed out the possible disingenuousness of Ben's review in general: "Look at this man trying to broaden his appeal," they wrote. "No one hustles like Ben Shapiro."
Here's someone who went straight for the jugular: "Even the Incel King recognises that it's a masterpiece," they wrote. "Boycotters looking stupider and stupider by the day."
At the end of the day, though, this commenter summed up things perfectly: "Who cares? Fuck Ben Shapiro."
Comments