X
- 2024
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 56 m
- 2024
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 56 m
Summary After 20 years away, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The King has returned from the Trojan War, but much has changed in his kingdom. His beloved wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is a prisoner in her own home, hounded by suitors vying to be king. Their son Telemachus faces death at t...
Directed By: Uberto Pasolini
Written By: John Collee, Edward Bond, Uberto Pasolini
- 2024
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 56 m
- 2024
- R
- Bleecker Street Media
- 1 h 56 m
The Return
67
5.8
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Summary After 20 years away, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The King has returned from the Trojan War, but much has changed in his kingdom. His beloved wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is a prisoner in her own home, hounded by suitors vying to be king. Their son Telemachus faces death at t...
Directed By: Uberto Pasolini
Written By: John Collee, Edward Bond, Uberto Pasolini
Where to Watch
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 18 Critic Reviews
67
67% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
33% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 18 Critic Reviews
67
67% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
33% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The Return is one of the few instances where we wish for more fiery blood and guts rather than less. Even so, this is a superior rendering of a well-worn tale
The pacing is far from what you’d expect in a Hollywood movie with this much action, which can make the film feel longer than its 116 minutes. But that rich languor and love of words is earned, and do you really want to tell Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche to hurry up? No. You. Do. Not.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 User Ratings
5.8
42% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
33% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
25% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 User Ratings
5.8
42% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
33% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
25% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
The Return is a rather dull film up until the part where Odysseus confronts the suitors. However, the confrontation sequence manages to redeem the film. Unfortunately, when the story strays from its mythological elements, it feels quite awkward and out of place.
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Unfortunately, this film is as bland as it's title.
DRAMATIC - SLOW - FLAT - LIMITED
The Return picks up the story of Odysseus at his lowest point: washed up on the shores of his island home Island, near death. One would think this is a great place to start a character arc... but it doesn't really go anywhere from there.
Even with a stellar actor at its helm, The Return suffers from a snails pace and lack of excitement. Not every moment has to be Hollywood's high speed standard, but the story should have some ups and downs (Twisters is an excellent example of this). The Return flatlines, with little variation.
Going in blind, I was expecting a bit more epic scale to this story of Odysseus. It didn't have to live up to those expectations, but its energy was fairly even all the way through. A different score and more dynamic cinematography would have helped introduce some levels and liveliness. The script is the real issue here - elusive with details and lacking character development.
Odysseus is FLAT until the very end, rising from his stupor to give the thugs of Ithaca a bloodbath. Antinous was a far more interesting character as the antagonist than Odysseus himself. Fienne's acting felt limited by these character constraints in the script.
From a production design perspective, they were on the right track. This film had the right style to fit the time period (except - what was that German guy doing there?!), but again it needed to be more epic. There were not enough inhabitants of the island for me to believe that he is a king. We needed to see more people then just a small village.
Overall, The Return is not very dynamic. No doubt the cast gave it their all in each performance, but the story wasn't quite there to bring it all together.
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Pasolini has taken a classic, set thousands of years In the past, and very subtly pulled out themes about masculinity and power, about the psychological and emotional toll of war and PTSD, and its way of changing a person’s way of being. These are things that, unfortunately, still speak to the modern world.
With bold performances, a strong vision for the source material, and a wise decision to focus on this under-represented portion of this narrative, The Return makes for an effective character piece that proves these stories are not only timeless, they’re as timely as ever.
The power of Fiennes' and Binoche's performances, as well as the strength of the classic tale itself, allow "The Return" to build into something both entertaining and meaningful in its final act.
The Return may render its mythological figures lifelike through flesh and blood, but nowhere inside that viscera lies a beating heart.
Stripping the narrative of its gods and monsters, and almost two-thirds of the chapters, is great but the vacuum isn’t filled with much more than his two magnetic leads and consistently sumptuous cinematography. The Return is gorgeous to behold, but there just isn’t enough there.
This mythological tale begins 20 years after Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) left Ithaca to conquer Troy. Back home, his wife (Juliette Binoche) waits for his return, while numerous suitors (many of them with gym bods) threaten the island's security and future. This is an intense story told with gravatas, which also translates to SLOW! The tedious pacing makes it feel like the film is running in slow motion. On the positive side, there are lovely locations captured by Marius Pamduru's beautiful cinematography. As expected, the performances of Fiennes and Binoche are subdued, yet powerful. Director Uberto Pasolini has created some compelling moments, but his allowance for such a dreadful pace keeps the story from being as effective as it could have been.
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I want to like it but it's too damn slow. Re-edit the movie to move the story along. Better explain the island's situation. Tell the story better. Don't put people to sleep.
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Production Company
Heretic,
Ithaca Films,
Kabo Films,
Marvelous Productions,
Picomedia,
Rai Cinema,
Redwave Films
Release Date Dec 6, 2024
Duration 1 h 56 m
Rating R
Tagline Some legends are more than myths.