Movie is about Great Men and the need of great leaders
One of my biggest takeaways from The Odyssey was that it seemed to be about exceptional people and why societies sometimes need them. Odysseus keeps losing everything - his men, his power, his security. But he never loses the qualities that make him Odysseus. Every hardship forces him to become more intelligent, adaptable and determined. That reminded me of Nietzsche’s idea of the Übermensch: someone who overcomes suffering instead of allowing it to define him.
At the same time, Odysseus represents the older Homeric idea of the hero. He isn’t morally perfect, but he possesses courage, intelligence, endurance and the ability to lead when everyone else is panicking or giving in to temptation. His real strength isn’t just that he can fight. It’s that he can understand a situation, make a decision and give everyone around him a sense of direction.
I also thought Ithaca’s decline during his absence was important. The suitors want the king’s position and privileges, but none of them have the discipline or sense of responsibility required to lead. Odysseus may have been born a king, but the story repeatedly shows why he is actually qualified to be one. It suggests that some people really are born with unusual leadership qualities, although those qualities still have to be developed through hardship and experience.
The movie doesn’t blindly worship him, either. His pride and need for recognition cause suffering for the people around him. His greatest challenge is eventually learning to control himself. To me, the message was that civilization sometimes depends on rare individuals who can create order out of chaos, but true greatness means using that ability for something beyond your own ego.