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# The Odyssey, finding my own way back to Ithaca
- URL: https://www.thelongsave.com/the-odyssey-finding-my-own-way-back-to-ithaca/
- Published: 2026-08-23T16:00:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-23T16:00:56.000Z
- Author: Anthony F.

A few books have had a significant impact on my life, and the Odyssey is one of them. It's not because I relate to it in some weird way, but I ended up having a kind of love-hate relationship with Homer's epic poem thanks to high school. During my final year of high school in France, I had to read and study the famous poem, which tells the story of Odysseus. It was a difficult read for the young, literature-loving but dumb teenager that I was. I could see all the qualities of a story imbued with a sense of adventure, the struggle to come home, Penelope's unwavering devotion and the desire for vengeance. It is a tale of loyalty and intellect, as Odysseus manages to overcome all threats through his ability to deceive rather than through sheer strength and finally making it home back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. However, Homer's masterful storytelling didn't entirely charm me as a young reader, partly because I didn't particularly like poems in general, but mostly because it was a compulsory read during my final year of school before university, rather than something I had chosen to read for pleasure. However, the story of Odysseus's adventures stayed in my mind, and I have often thought about going back to it and trying to read it again with a more (hopefully) mature point of view. I didn't get to do it yet, but Christopher Nolan has finally released his own depiction of the Odyssey, and all the memories came flooding back, enhanced by time, and reinforcing the desire to dive back in Odysseus' adventure again.

While I am not Nolan's biggest fan and I despise the importance he gives to 70mm film when hardly anyone in the world can enjoy his films in this format, I am always curious when he releases something, even more so when he tackles such an important piece of literature. As an epic poem, The Odyssey deserves huge emotional commitment, which was one of my concerns as I sometimes find Nolan's films a bit cold; he often focuses more on the devotion of some men than on the warmth of human nature. Moreover, his female characters are usually lacking, whereas Penelope's role is extremely important. However, my doubts were dispelled by a film that embodies an idea of grandeur, transmitting a passion that is almost overwhelming. In tackling this story, Nolan has unsurprisingly made Odysseus more human than in Homer's writing, setting aside or hiding many of the fantastical elements, such as the Sirens, who are merely suggested, and Charybdis and Scylla, who are less terrifying than expected. Circe is also portrayed as more humane and less witchy, despite some unexpected scenes of body horror.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d7/7e/d77ea67c-cae5-4b4f-afe7-1a04c2d448a2/content/images/2026/08/the-odyssey-2.webp)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d7/7e/d77ea67c-cae5-4b4f-afe7-1a04c2d448a2/content/images/2026/08/the-odyssey-3.webp)

© Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

This could have been a terrible choice, but it turned out to be a fantastic perspective on The Odyssey. Focusing on the humanity of the story intensified its emotional impact, particularly in the final act, when I experienced a range of emotions that can only be found in cinema. I expected The Odyssey to be just another random Nolan blockbuster, but it turned out to be a film that encapsulates why I love cinema. There are raw emotions, pure commitment to telling an epic story and beautiful interpretations by actors who embody characters that are out of this world, both physically and mentally. I was worried about Nolan's take on Penelope, but Anne Hathaway brought passion and love and she was fantastic. Even when the film strays from the original story, as with Sinon, played beautifully by Elliot Page, who becomes a tragic character, it works wonderfully. As for the main character, Odysseus, Matt Damon probably gives one of his best performances. 

And it's okay if the film sometimes felt a little too long. The few moments that felt a bit drawn out were part of an adventure that made perfect sense in the final act. Without this final act, or if it hadn't been executed so skilfully, I might have had a very different opinion of the film. But when Odysseus reaches Ithaca, discovers what happened to all the suitors and reunites with his son Telemachus, the film reaches new heights. The epic story becomes a tragedy and the emotions kick in.

Cinema is such a beautiful thing.