I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere of Sir Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey on Monday. And while the review is embargoed until next week, fans itching to see it might want to check out another very recent adaptation of Homer’s epic.
Hitting UK cinemas just over a year ago was The Return, starring Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus and Juliette Binoche as his wife Penelope. A beautifully captured drama, this adaptation focuses solely on the King’s arrival back on the island of Ithaca having lost all his men on his 10 year journey home from the Trojan war.
Washed up naked on the shores of Ithaca, The Return retells Odysseus’ final battle against the suitor Antinous and the reclaiming of his throne. A grounded interpretation, Fiennes (who got shredded for the role in his 60s) gives a magnificent performance in this underrated dram with plenty of action.
The Return is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.