Journey, Return, Exile

The Odyssey is an adaptation and retelling of a story thousands of years old filled with monsters, magic and heroes, but stripped away for the modern audience. The main premise is the son of Odysseus searching for his father who has been missing for decades after winning the battle at Troy. In his absence, Ithaca has fallen under the control of suitors vying for the hand of Penelope, Odysseus' wife, while the son is yet to come of age and take the throne himself. The Journey and return to Ithaca of Odysseus is viewed through flashbacks to the trials faced.

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Director: Christopher Nolan Key Cast: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson Release: July, 2026 Run time: 2h52m

Elements

The film is long at almost three hours, but in order to keep it from running much longer, the retelling has been pared down and limited, stripping away much of the themes of the original story. Yet in doing so, Nolan has been able to better align the story to give a critic of the current condition of the world.

Through the flashbacks, the audience is taken into what has led to the situation of Odysseus and Penelope, and the trials faced seem to have purposely been made somewhat unwieldy and awkward. For instance, the cyclops is not the smart creature of the original story, but more of a brute relying on force, but being slow and clumsy in movement. This allows for the trials of Odysseus to be told quickly, without having to delve into the depths of situational development.

The character of players is where the focus is put, with Odysseus' (Matt Damon) inner turmoil and PTSD being key factors. The naivety of his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) is also played upon, as is his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) as the struggling female power who is powerless due to her being female. And then there is Athena (Zendaya) a god who has largely been stripped of her powers and exists only in the mind of Odysseus.

The score is suitably grand due the story being the epitome of adventure and challenge, but does not give way to positivity. It is melancholic and speaks more toward failure and the degrading situation in the society of the time, a parable to the reality of today.

My Take

Like the majority of movies today and especially the epic blockbusters, there is commentary on the state of society now. The three core messages I feel were broadcast through this retelling fall into themes I often write about myself.

Greed

Unlike the original story, the attack on Troy wasn't about saving Helena, but about keeping trade routes open and creating wealth. And the successful attack using the Trojan horse was one that undermined the law of the gods, breaking a social contract for personal gain, leading to the very trials and tribulations that Odysseus faced in the future. It has been placed as the nail in the coffin of society, where self-interest overpowers moral code.

Morality

During the attack on Troy, Odysseus realises what he has done and how it has brought in a new order to the fabric of society, where greed and self-interest take precedence. When he sets out on his journey home, he tries to ignore the signs, to ignore the gods, but finds himself unable to heal from the trauma of his decisions. He keeps seeing Athena, a guide, but one who is unable to give guidance for he no longer believes. He has lost his sense of morality, and it is through the trials of pain and sacrifice that he starts to regain perspective.

Tolerance

The largest and clearest theme perhaps is the acceptance of strangers in society. The ancient rule of Xenia is raised often in Ithaca and Penelope explicitly says that if society stops accepting travellers and protecting strangers, civilization will fall. This is of course is an unguarded critique of the anti-immigration sentiment that is sweeping the world, and the film keeps hammering the nail home that without acceptance and growth, greed and immorality will rule.

My Verdict

Having read the original story some thirty-odd years ago, it is not fresh in my mind. However, I wasn't expecting this story to fit too closely to the original anyway. I was expecting the social commentary however and while I am not a fan of it usually, I think the story itself is still well-told for the audience. However, I also think that there are many gaps in the story to save time, and for some viewers this will leave them feeling a little lost or, a little unsatisfied. For instance, when Odysseus places himself on a raft at the mercy of Poseidon and then it cuts to him awaking in Ithaca with no context of the journey between.

Overall though, I think the film is satisfying to watch, but I think would benefit from rewatching and discussion of the themes and scenes, and the meanings behind. What I think should also be noted is that despite this story being three thousand years old or more, it is still relevant today when it comes to the structure of society, the challenges of the individual, the purpose of action, and the consequences of the decisions we make. We all face trials, our own personal monsters, and trying to find our place in the world.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

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Taraz [ Gen1: Hive ]