The film itself tells the true story of Hugh Glass (Leondardo DiCaprio); a frontiersman in 1820s America, who's on a fur expedition with his native-American son, as well as other hardened men who just want to get home with some money for their families. As the title implies, Glass finds himself left for dead after a bear mauling, and must trek through the harsh, icy environment. His goal: to avenge the unprovoked murder of his son by the hands of a fellow frontiersman.
The aforementioned bear mauling scene, as shown briefly in the trailer, is by far one of the most intense moments from the entire film. I've rarely found myself to be uncomfortable when watching a movie, but the visceral reality of the attack is genuinely unnerving, and a testament to how proficient DiCaprio is as an actor. It's one of several violent moments found throughout The Revenant, but it's easily the most poignant, and will remain with you long after leaving. It also sets the scene. Hugh Glass is left in a critical condition following the encounter, which allows empathy when certain members of his team suggest leaving him behind. In a freezing wasteland, where everything is apt to kill you, why drag along a man waiting to die?
While the wasteland may well be frozen and dangerous, The Revenant proves to be an honestly beautiful movie. Filmed entirely with natural light sources (primarily the Sun), the prolonged shots of endless forests place you precisely within the film itself. This is usually just a term thrown around, but when you eventually find yourself in a warm, heated shower, you'll suddenly remember just how different it was back then. Understandably, cinematography is just one of the several Oscars that this film is nominated for, and I'd be shocked if it didn't win.
DiCaprio's portrayal of Hugh Glass isn't the only stand-out, though. Tom Hardy as the antagonistic John Fitzgerald is equally notable, although his thick accent makes some dialogue hard to understand. There isn't a single performance throughout the film that lets it down, although some are forgettable at the very worst. The miscellaneous members of the hunting party near the beginning are all reasonably interchangeable, for example; however, their role is comparatively minor, so this is far from a negative issue. Perhaps the best example of how powerful the acting is, is that most of the key plot points are conveyed through facial expressions and action, as opposed to conjecture. Hugh Glass is alone for a long time. Because of this, Leo DiCaprio doesn't necessarily speak to anybody. The manipulation of his face, however, leads to strikingly emotive scenes.
If I had to pick a handful of negative things about The Revenant, I'd have a tough time. It's a fairly flawless movie in terms of things it gets right and wrong, but there's a couple of issues that do drag it down slightly. There are hallucination sequences throughout in which Hugh Glass sees figures of his past, as well as other symbolic objects or monuments. Though these are intentionally vague and subjective, the nebulous way in which they are presented can come off as slightly pretentious. The pacing of the film is also an acquired taste. Going in to this expecting a Taken-esque style of revenge would be foolish, but it's likely even slower than you may expect. I didn't have a problem with this, but the slow-burn of the narrative may be unbearable for some.
Verdict
The best word to describe The Revenant would be 'powerful'. It's a film that will leave you emotionally drained, but one which is well worth viewing at least once. Multiple viewing aren't really necessary, because it's a story that only needs telling a single time. The slow pace of the story and the out-there delivery of some sequences may put off some viewers, but it's still worthy of your time and money.
"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight.
You breath...keep breathing."
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