The Revenant is a survival drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, and is the latest bold filmmaking venture from Alejandro G. Innaritu. Set in the early 1800's American wildnerness, DiCaprio plays Hugh Glass, a fur trapper who is betrayed and left for dead by his confidant John Fitzgerald, played by Tom Hardy, after being viciously mauled by a bear. Left to his own devices in the harsh environment, Glass embarks on an epic journey for vengeance, and exemplifies the power of the human spirit in epic cinematic fashion.
Hot off of his Oscar winning hit Birdman, Innaritu once again directs a bold piece of storytelling, and teams up with oscar-winning director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki to bring to life a beautiful yet brutal movie. The Revenant has some of the most truly gorgeous shots I've seen in a long time, and provides a rewarding visual experience, despite the violence. The Revenant is a film that tests the endurance of the audience, as some truly grisly images are shown throughout the movie, but you can't ignore the achievements in this movie. The scene in which Glass is attacked by a mother grizzly bear is mesmerizing, not that watching DiCaprio get torn to shreds is mesmerizing, but the fact that the bear was brought to life so perfectly is truly spectacular. It is a landmark scene in terms of film technicality and special effects, I can't emphasize that enough. This film was also shot entirely in natural light, which is no small feat. Shooting for 90 minutes a day to maintain continuity within a scene is a big deal, and very difficult. The lack of artificial lighting provides more authenticity, and further immerses the viewers into the cold, and harsh environment. The Wilderness itself is seemingly characterized in this movie. It plays a pivotal role in developing the characters, while perhaps also being the films largest antagonist. Glass is hell-bent on avenging his son's death, but his biggest obstacle is not the selfish Fitzgerald, but the brutal nature that stands in his way. Making inanimate objects characters is not easy, but Innaritu succeeded in bringing the wilderness to life.
One of the most talked about aspects of this movie is the acting, namely from the prolific Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. The two face off as rivals in this adventure drama, pushing both of their limits as actors from a physical standpoint. The entire crew had to endure harsh winters and unforgiving conditions while making this film, while DiCaprio went to great lengths to ensure the authenticity of his performance. While he was fantastic, he was a groaning mute for a large portion of this movie, and this performance will unlikely be considered one of his best, which really isn't and insult if you look at his filmography. However, a long overdue oscar seems like it is heading his way, whether he deserves it or not is another matter entirely, but we know the academy likes to right its previous wrongs with "pity oscars". Hardy played a great villain, but was also very hard to understand at times, as his thick southern accent proved go be indecipherable at times. My only real gripes with this movie were its tendency to drag and become tedious at times, coupled with an underdeveloped father-son relationship that lacked real emotional heft. The imagery was a little pretentious at times, and this movie, while brutal, suffered from minor self indulgence. Aside from some minor narrative flaws, The Revenant was a genuinely great thrill ride.
A-