aleteoryx | Thoughts on The Return (2024)

quick post, but I wanted to suggest everyone see this movie! it is not showing much where I am, and I don't think it's going to make back a lot of money, which is a shame, because it's great.

The Return is a pretty straight adaptation of the ending of Homer's Odyssey. for those unfamiliar, The Odyssey follows Odysseus, as he and his men make their way back from the Trojan War, to Ithaca. various things happen that make his journey back take significantly longer than it should have, and he returns to find his home overrun with several suitors, trying to court his wife and become the new king in his absence. at the end of the story, he slaughters them all, and reclaims his throne.

now, one may hear this, and come to the conclusion that the movie amounts to 2 straight hours of glorifying violence and war. indeed, a lesser production may have made the choice to reduce Homer to bloodshed. The Return is, instead, a wonderfully restrained production.

it makes ample use of its runtime to depict the shame of Odysseus, the suffering of Penelope, the lost purpose of Telemarchus. it is a movie about the ruin of Ithaca at the hands of war, and about the ruin of the ruling family. it is a movie intimated with the horrors wrought by men going off to war.

Odysseus's revenge is not depicted as triumphant. the brilliant coreography is immediately contrasted with Penelope's horror at the slaughter taking place in her home. the movie spends most of its runtime depicting how terrible these men are, and yet does not waver in depicting their murder as a means to an end.

The Return chooses to remove all divine elements from the story, I think to its benefit. it allows the movie to stay very grounded in its portrayal. the sense of loneliness and sorrow felt by Odysseus would not be as impactful, I think, with Athena's presence. it would detract from the depiction of war as a deeply manmade horror.

Odysseus is played by Ralph Fiennes, who readers may know as Voldemort, the chef in The Menu, and a number of other roles. he is excellent. Penelope is played by Juliette Binoche. the suitors are cast perfectly, by which I mean 2 of the 3 suitors with the most screentime are played by actors clearly picked for their (and this is mean) hatable faces. it's some McPoyle shit, and it was a great choice.

really all that I'm upset about is that you can see Fiennes's hair plugs the entire time. like. they could have fixed that in post.

it was a really excellent time, seeing it, and you should too! it is certainly not a perfect film, but it is a gorgeous and mostly faithful adaptation of Homer. the ending shot seems to be indicating a sequel, and I would love to see one from this same team.

anyways, till next time,
~aleteoryx