Denying the Gods: A Review of 'The Return'

The inclusion of the gods and monsters is what makes The Odyssey great. It is not incidental. It cannot be cleanly carved out to favour the human tragedy. It is essential to the world and worldview of the poem, both in its plot and in how it is to be interpreted. 

The Return’s cynical attitude reflects a very modern idea of warfare, that there is no glory to be had in it and that it only traumatises everybody involved. Odysseus doesn’t have PTSD in the poem, despite the poem’s meta-narrative itself reflecting the emotional challenges of a warrior returning home. The yearning, and the pain of that yearning, is there, but there is catharsis that comes in its fulfilment, with the goddess Athena herself stepping in to prevent further cycles of violence from spiralling on Ithaca in its final moments.

“Hold back, you men of Ithaca, back from brutal war! Break off — shed no more blood — make peace at once… don’t court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!” So she commanded. He obeyed her, glad at heart. And Athena handed down her pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to come — the daughter of Zeus whose shield is storm and thunder, yes, but the goddess still kept Mentor’s build and voice.”

Is it possible that Nolan’s Odyssey could escape these challenges and produce a great adaptation? Anything is possible. The Lord of the Rings and Dune were said to be unadaptable, and yet they produced great blockbusters. Nolan is certainly capable of miracles, as the astounding success of Oppenheimer and Dunkirk shows. Regardless, this may be one of his greatest challenges. Any modern filmmaker is going to be fighting the impulse to modernise Homer’s poem, thus removing the elements of it that make it compelling and meaningful. 

And sadly, no sincere adaptation is likely to do better than the Coen Brothers’ wonderful comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Tyler is a Wisconsin-based freelance critic and journalist, a member of the Music City Film Critics Association, a regular film and literature contributor at Geeks Under Grace, and was the 2021 College Fix Fellow at Main Street Nashville.