The Return (2024)
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A weary hero returns to his homeland after twenty years of war, facing a kingdom in decline and a wife besieged by suitors.
The story
Twenty years after setting off to fight in the Trojan War and surviving many trials, Odysseus washes up on the shores of his home island, Ithaca. He is found and tended to by the slaves Eumaeus and Yias. He is dispirited and traumatized by his experiences and learns about the decline of his kingdom. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope faces pressure to find a suitor, as many believe her husband to be dead. Their son, Telemachus, is approached by the nobleman Antinous, who attempts to convince him to press Penelope into marriage. The young man refuses, distrusting the suitors who have occupied the palace.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After twenty years of war and wandering, Odysseus returns to Ithaca as a disguised beggar. While his wife Penelope resists the suitors' demands by weaving a shroud, their son Telemachus faces pressure from the nobleman Antinous. Odysseus eventually reveals his identity to his son and a loyal nursemaid, Eurycleia, recognizes him by a scar. A violent confrontation ensues when Odysseus challenges the suitors to a contest with his old bow; he succeeds and kills the suitors. Telemachus and his father eventually reconcile with Penelope, who finds comfort in their shared past as they prepare for their future together.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 116
- Production countries
- Italy; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Uberto Pasolini
- Writers
- John Collee · screenplay; Edward Bond · screenplay; Uberto Pasolini · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ralph Fiennes · Odysseus; Juliette Binoche · Penelope; Charlie Plummer · Telemachus
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- identity; trauma; homecoming
- Tone and mood
- sombre; meditative; stripped back
- Premise and plot tags
- mythology; epic; historical fiction
- Source material / true-story basis
- Homer's Odyssey
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews for its acting, visuals, and realistic approach, though some critics and scholars criticized its departure from the original epic's supernatural elements and characterization of Odysseus.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 26
- Production trivia
- The film omits all gods and mythical beings from the original poem.; Ralph Fiennes underwent five months of physical training to achieve a 'wiry and muscular' look.; The production cost $20 million, significantly less than the $250 million spent on a competing 2026 film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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