Release: 2015
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Starring: Leonardo Dicaprio, Tom Hardy
Runtime: 156 minutes
Based on the book by the same name by Michael Punke, which is based off the real life events in the life of frontiersman Hugh Glass, The Revenant stars Leonardo Dicaprio as Glass, and Tom Hardy as fellow frontiersman, John Fitzgerald.
After being mauled by a grizzly bear, Hugh is left for dead by his hunting party, namely Fitzgerald. Motivated by sheer will and a thirst for justice, Glass must navigate the uncharted American wilderness and survive a harsh winter if he wants to get revenge on the man that betrayed him.
Directed by the masterful Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and filmed by the talented Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant is a cinematic smorgasbord for the eyes. Using some of the techniques seen in their last film, Birdman (the sweeping pans, the continuous, single shot takes) the harsh wilderness of America is a fully involving environment. You don’t just see the characters on screen during a scene, the camera follows them as they move throughout the scenery. It is some incredibly impressive filmmaking. Another amazing aspect is that the whole film was shot using natural light, increasing the vivacity of the scenery.
Dicaprio puts forth an incredible performance as Glass, albeit not one of his best, but still the effort and talent is commendable. Tom Hardy is superb as Fitzgerald. Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Andrew Henry, the captain of the hunting party, puts forth a surprisingly memorable performance as the young conflicted officer who must choose to follow his own judgement, or the advice others give him.
Overall, The Revenant is a gritty, manly tale of revenge and the American frontier, but it is not an action movie. Yes, there are battle scenes and blood abound, but what the movie aims for is something of more philosophical depth. Unfortunately that’s where The Revenant falls short. There are a lot of unspoken motifs and metaphors shown mainly through the cinematography; the sweeping gorgeous landscapes and woodland shots, the panning of bloody battles all point to a larger message in regards to both God and man. The themes that it reaches for are touched upon, but the impact isn’t as lasting as one would hope. The Revenant is still an entertaining, thoughtful movie, with engaging performances by skillful actors, but the dramatic depth that it is aiming for is just barely scratched.
4.5/5