Itaca - Il ritorno

One of the great works of Western Literature, Homer's THE ODYSSEY has been told on film many times in many ways. It tells the story of Odysseus's attempt to get back home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. He is beset with obstacles from the beginning in the form of monsters, a sorceress, sirens, lotus eaters, cannibals, etc. The previous versions of this story have focused on the spectacular and sensational elements, most notably 1954's ULYSSES starring Kirk Douglas. (For that film Odysseus was rechristened Ulysses for some unknown reason.) This version is different in that it focuses on the human elements of the story when Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca after 10 hard-fought years, only to find his kingdom in severe decline and his wife at the mercy of hoodlum men trying to marry her to get her money and the kingdom because everyone thinks Odysseus is dead. They are threatening to take her and Ithaca by force if she does not choose one of them for a husband. After 10 years, Odysseus is unrecognizable and needs to assess the situation before planning his strategy to get rid of these vile men who are bleeding his land, and to take his rightful place as king. He disguises himself as a tramp until he can reveal himself and take action.

This is not a film laden with CGI special effects and aimed at teenage boys; it is aimed at intelligent adults with adult emotions and rationality. The literate script by the late Edward Bond, John Collee, and Uberto Pasolini is a joy to hear, especially when spoken by first-rate actors. But a great deal of the film has no dialogue at all. The actors do a lot with "sub-text," especially the brilliant Juliette Binoche as Penelope. She gives a fine, complex performance. Ralph Fiennes gives the best performance I've seen him give to date. Mr. Pasolini is also the director of the film and he does a fine job of keeping it focused and suspenseful. Cinematography is by Marius Panduru, who is aided wonderfully by the gorgeous locales on the island of Corfu. Effective and unintrusive musical score is by Oscar winner Rachel Portman.

In case such things bother you, I will warn you that the film has a lot of blood and violence, and some nudity (including a lengthy full Monty by Mr. Fiennes fairly early in the film).

I'm so grateful to the producers for having the courage to make a film aimed at intelligent adults. I hope it gets enough audience support to encourage others to do the same.

While some have complained of the lack of action and slow progress, I though Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche did a wonderful job of portraying an older couple grappling with distance and war.

Ralph Fiennes embodied a man exhausted from both war and his return. He returns from a lengthy war only to be welcomed back by another one in his own home. He's a man ready to live a peaceful life but with a whole new enemy at his gates that he doesn't want and isn't ready to face.

His wife had been ever faithful and longing but you can see the hope dwindling from her eyes as each day passes. Her fear for her son has filled him with resentment as he struggles with his own identity.

It's only when they're all together again at the end that we wish to see their joy at being reunited. Instead we're met with anger, resentment, and exhaustion.

While not the ending audiences would've wanted, it portrays a realistic look at what a family torn apart by war experiences upon the soldiers return. Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche exceed expectations as Odysseus and Penelope, capturing the emotions of a war torn couple with elegance and finesse.

While watching the trailers for Gladiator II, this film was teased. That was certainly the best part of the Gladiator II experience. What I was expecting to see from the teaser was not what I experienced, and that was wonderful. I was expecting, simply, a modern play of the third act of the Odyssey with some great modern actors. Instead, I was treated to a thought-provoking exploration of many difficult topics involved in the human experience. They just so happened to find their home in Odysseus's return home at the end of the Odyssey. This film comes across as a passion project of the lead actor and producer. I would love to look into the story of the making and funding of this project. This movie was not at all what I was expecting but found it to be a real treat and left me and my viewing companion discussing the different themes and meanings. The cinematography is where this film shines.

Homer's epic poem The Odyssey is the inspiration behind hundreds of works. First published around the 7th or 8th century BC, and first translated into English in the 16th century, its impact is incalculable. From novels, like James Joyce's 'Ulysses', to operas, such as Claudio Monteverdi's 'Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria,' its influence can be seen in all forms of media. There have even been some notable films based on the epic poem, such as Giuseppe de Liguoro's 1911 'L'Odissea', Theo Angelopoulos's 'Ulysses' Gaze,' and even The Coen Brothers' 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'

Uberto Pasolini is the most recent to try his hand at an Odyssey adaptation, with 2024's 'The Return.' His film- based on the latter half of Homer's 24-chapter epic- follows a battle-weary Odysseus as he washes ashore on Ithaca. Unrecognizable as the mighty warrior-king that left decades before, his dominion has fallen into decay and debauchery. As his wife Penelope is forced to choose a new suitor, and by extension a new king, Odysseus must navigate a land that no longer recognizes him, battling both external foes and his own inner demons.

Although by no means awful, Pasolini's film is fraught with issues. While the narrative is engaging, the dialogue throughout is unnaturally stilted. Moreover, the whole affair lacks momentum and tension. Further, numerous secondary characters are badly miscast, negatively affecting the film's impact. However, through their depiction of the film's central character, the screenwriters make an interesting point about trauma. Their version of Odysseus is suffering terribly, laboured by survivor's guilt and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after his time battling in the Trojan War.

Pasolini, alongside screenwriters John Collee and Edward Bond, seem to be drawing from psychiatrist Jonathan Shay's two books, 'Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character' and 'Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming' in their portrayal of Odysseus as suffering from PTSD and moral injury. This modern interpretation adds a layer of psychological realism to the film, highlighting the timeless nature of war's impact on the human psyche.

By depicting Odysseus' struggles with PTSD, survivor's guilt and moral injury, the film not only stays true to the emotional depth of Homer's original work but also resonates with contemporary audiences familiar with the challenges faced by veterans. This approach allows Pasolini's film bridge the gap between ancient myth and modern reality, making Odysseus's journey both relatable and poignant.

While this is an interesting interpretation of the central character, others lack the same level of depth, and the whole screenplay feels oddly lacking, with an uneven pace that saps it of momentum. The film is full of brooding silences, which- more often than not- seem unnecessarily drawn out. Conversely, it lacks not for visual splendour. Cinematographer Marius Panduru captures the stark beauty of the landscape, emphasising its power. Although beautiful, everything on the island- from the trees to Odysseus' castle- is cold, mean, unforgiving.

Giuliano Pannuti's minimalistic production design helps ground the story, looking authentic and gritty, while Rachel Portman's subtle score compounds the drama of proceedings. Conversely, the costumes look like rejects from Zach Snyder's '300' and many secondary characters look and sound far too contemporary to be taken seriously; more like frat boys than Ancient Greeks.

However, at its heart, the film has one element that makes it worthwhile: Ralph Fiennes. One of the all-time greats, Fiennes embodies Odysseus' underlying trauma with subtlety and nuance. You can see the weight of his experiences bearing down on his shoulders, the pain of survivor's guilt. Fiennes demonstrates that vulnerability masterfully, conveying both the physical and emotional struggles of Odysseus with aplomb, while elevating the whole film around him (and, frankly, making it watchable).

Unfortunately, his supporting cast aren't up to his level, or don't get a chance to be. Juliette Binoche is completely underused in the underwritten part of Penelope, though does a lot with very little. Charlie Plummer doesn't seem at ease playing their son Telemachus, and is swallowed up by the role. Marwan Kenzari, meanwhile, deserved more to play with in an all-too-small role as one of Penelope's suitors; the same can be said for Claudio Santamaria as Odysseus' accomplice, Swineherd Eumaeus.

Ángela Molina also does nice work as Odysseus's old nursemaid, Eurycleia, although is similarly underused. On the other hand, the men of Ithaca are played by young lads completely out of their depth, who were clearly cast because of their muscles and not acting ability, of which they have none.

In conclusion, Uberto Pasolini's 'The Return' may look great, though is lacking in many areas. While Ralph Fiennes delivers a powerful performance as Odysseus, the film struggles with stilted dialogue, miscast secondary characters and an uneven pace. Despite its striking cinematography and attempts to add psychological depth to the narrative, it doesn't reach its full potential. Unfortunately, 'The Return' isn't one that you'll want to go back to.

Some may find this film boring. And while the runtime does drag on a few times during the course of the movie, I didn't find it as lacklustre as I thought it might be. This is mostly due to the two great lead performances by Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, reunited after almost thirty years (Their last picture together was the Oscar-winning film The English Patient in 1996).

I'm not at all familiar with Greek myths, as there are so many of them, it's hard to keep track. But this particular story focuses solely on the last part of Odysseus's story, when he is washed up, broken, scarred and a shadow of his former self after the war of Troy. His wife Penelope, who has been pressured by annoying, leery men into marrying them, cannot recognise her husband. Not necessarily because he looks physically different, but because of the atrocities he committed while he was away. And the question of whether the sacrifices his homeland made was worth it for war.

It focuses on the timeless story of men returning back home from the horrors of warfare, only to find that their home no longer wants them, and they cannot escape their soldier's life. Such is the situation for many veterans suffering from PTSD.

But it also offers a glimmer of hope to start again. And I have no problem with quieter movies as long as they offer good themes and realistic characterizations. We don't always need CGI monsters and big battles to keep us hooked.