The Revenant is brutal, it’s harsh, it’s a tale about man against nature, and boy is that bear scene great!
The story follows fur hunters who are tasked with coming into the wild and trapping grizzly bears for their fur coats. However, after an ambush by a tribe of Native Americans the hunters are the hunted as they make their way through the harsh terrain to return to civilisation. Due to great injury in a fight with a grizzly bear Hugh Glass is left for dead and he must overcome his wounds to trek through the wilderness by himself. These solitary scenes are where the movie shines and we get a look at some of DiCaprio’s best acting to date.
First off this film is beautifully shot. From the breathtaking scenes of the wilderness to the long takes resembling Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s last film Birdman. There is so much action in this film, especially the beginning which sees a Native American tribe ambush the hunting party of trappers in the 19th Century wilderness of Louisiana. The ambush is unsettling to say the least as we watch as there are no winners on either side of this war as bodies crumble to the cold earth. This is only a glimpse of what is to come as we latter see Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Hugh Glass shred to bits by a grizzly bear as seen in the trailer. The story is gripping and for the most part it stays true to the events the story is inspired from to give us a cinematic masterclass of filmmaking.
I will have no qualms if this movie wins the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, or Best Director. It is easily one of the best films of 2015 and maybe the most technically groundbreaking of the year.
4.5/5 – Stars for The Revenant
Robert Ring
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