The Revenant Review

I can't say I've ever seen a film quite like this one. I have watched plenty of survival tales and movies that take place in snow, but I don't think I've ever been quite as immersed in an unflinchingly brutal and honest story of survival in the midst of nature's toughest challenges. This is a singular experience in every respect, one that I will not forget any time soon. The Revenant is a thrillingly ambitious showcase for a committed performance from Leonardo DiCaprio and Alejandro González Iñárritu's beautiful direction, and is one of the best films of 2015.

The Revenant is inspired by the true story of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman who was mauled by a grizzly bear and subsequently left to die by his compatriots during a fur trapping expedition in 1823. As the story goes, Glass nursed his own wounds and found the strength to crawl himself back to Fort Kiowa where he confronted those who had abandoned him. While the film does take some liberties in its telling of this tale, the nucleus of the story is intact and makes for compelling human drama on a grand stage.

The film is impeccably acted with DiCaprio's unbelievable performance leading the way. The man rarely speaks in the movie, and when he does, it's usually in a different language. And yet, he still holds our attention in every frame. Worthy of the recognition he's been getting and perhaps the role that will finally grab him that elusive Oscar. Opposite DiCaprio's turn as Glass, Tom Hardy delivers a typically excellent performance as John Fitzgerald, one of the fur trappers that is tasked with looking after Glass after he has been fatally wounded by the bear and ultimately the one who leaves him for dead. I'd say he is just as deserving of the Oscar nomination as Leo is, and both once again prove why they are two of the greatest performers of their generation.

Much like in Iñárritu's previous film, Birdman, the director uses many long takes and tracking shots that ultimately make the movie feel like a stage play at times. He is a master at staging these long periods of no cuts with slick camerawork and complete control over the many moving parts involved. This type of filmmaking may be viewed as a gimmick by some, but I greatly admire it; it requires tremendous focus and coordination from everyone on set, and I believe that makes the film more convincing and believable.

The core story of The Revenant isn't particularly intricate or expansive, and the film does stretch it across a 156 minute run time. However, the sheer craftsmanship on display is so riveting that this doesn't usually become a problem. There are moments during the film in which DiCaprio's character has dream sequences, and these parts are why many people are writing the movie off as hollow Oscar bait. They move at a slow pace and do not seemingly have much to add to the narrative in terms of story. However, these sequences are thematically and symbolically quite relevant to the film if you pay close attention and I appreciated them for that.

This is decidedly one of the most visually arresting films I have ever watched in my entire life. And it's all in camera with natural lighting. Iñárritu has done something very special with this movie, tossing CGI and conventional effects to the wayside in favor of the natural beauty provided by the world around us. They went to some truly breathtaking locations to film this movie, and there were shots that I could have just sat and stared at for hours.

It's ultimately a tale of survival and of the triumph of the human spirit. The characters on display, particularly Glass, of course, have a tremendous will to live and a will to survive. If this sounds a little too touchy feely for you, don't worry. This is a caustic, haunting view of the cliched themes of survival and family. You'll be wishing for warm fuzzy feelings during some of the film's more challenging scenes. The Revenant is unwavering in its stark vision, and this proves hard to watch in some instances. It's admirable, however, that the filmmakers did not lose sight of the realism and intensity that they were striving for.

I've seen many people calling this film an empty exercise in cinematic nothingness. I can't help but utterly disagree with these people. The Revenant utilizes fantastic performances, staggering visuals, and some of the most suspenseful and brutal action I've ever seen to tell its story, which is admittedly simple and lacking compexity. But, in many ways, this mirrors the movie's message about nature and the relationship it has with man. When you're out in the forest in the dead of winter with no food, no shelter, and no sense of direction, there is nothing to bank on, nothing but a survival instinct and a will to live. It didn't need to dress itself up in a convoluted plot.

It's simple in concept, yet endlessly thought-provoking in execution. Iñárritu has once again delivered a film to be remembered for many years to come, and definitely one of the best movies I saw that was released in 2015. And I have to say...that bear sequence was absolutely unbelievable. Something I can truly say I have never seen before.

A