Christopher Nolan’s engrossing take on The Odyssey dominated at the box office and spurred a newfound interest in classic literature among filmgoers. But a new retelling of the story made entirely with AI is so bad that it might just make viewers hate the original tale altogether. The new film, called Odysseus: The Fall, comes via AI firm Fountain 0 and is written and directed by company cofounder Ash Koosha, who also lent his likeness to the title character and created all of the music. (The film’s credits are very short.) The studio’s only previous work is an AI film called Dreams of Violets that made it into Tribeca earlier this year.

Critics argue that the AI-generated Odyssey is a bloated epic that stretches its narrative thin across 2.5 hours, much like a college lecture that could have been summarized in a 10-minute TED talk. The film’s reliance on AI algorithms to craft dialogue and plot points leads to a series of clunky monologues where Odysseus seems more like a talking robot than a swashbuckling hero. Koosha’s own likeness as Odysseus adds a personal touch, but it also raises questions: does seeing a modern-day AI founder in ancient armor make the story more relatable or just more comical? The music, while inventive, sometimes feels like a generic stock score that could accompany any sci-fi adventure, missing the emotional depth of traditional Greek epics.

Moreover, the film’s credits suggest a streamlined process, but the resulting story is anything but concise. With AI handling everything from script to score, there’s little room for human intuition to trim the fat. This leads to repetitive scenes—like Odysseus repeatedly circling the same mythical island, each time with a slightly different AI-generated description of his surroundings. The film’s pacing is erratic, with some moments feeling rushed while others drag on as if the AI struggled to decide whether to focus on action or exposition.

In contrast, Nolan’s human-directed Odyssey kept audiences captivated with its balance of action and introspection, seamlessly blending ancient wisdom with modern storytelling techniques. The AI-generated version, however, sometimes falls into the trap of overexplaining, as if the algorithms needed to spell out every detail to ensure the audience understood the plot. This can be endearing at times, but it also makes the film feel like a textbook rather than a cinematic experience.

Ultimately, Odysseus: The Fall proves that while AI can generate impressive visuals and coherent narratives, it still struggles with the subtlety and emotional resonance that human filmmakers bring to the table. The 2.5-hour runtime might just be 2.5 hours too long, but it also gives viewers plenty of opportunities to marvel—or mock—at the AI’s attempt to resurrect Homer’s classic. Whether viewers come to love or loathe the AI-generated Odyssey, one thing is certain: it’s a bold step into the future of filmmaking, even if it leaves some legacies in the dust.