The Revenant

Review By: John Delia

Attack, survival, revenge and retribution, The Revenant involves a true story of one man’s fight in the wilderness and the brutal battles he faces.  Selected in my top five films of the 2015, this action thriller has the four qualifiers of an excellent production; fine direction, compelling storyline, excellent acting and amazing cinematography that’s second to none. From the opening minute to its gut wrenching finish, the fast paced two and a half hour film flies by with a spellbinding attraction that won’t let go way after you leave the theater.

It is 1823 and we find highly skilled wilderness guide Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his Pawnee son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) in a wooded swampy area.  He’s in an uncharted area of South Dakota hunting to supply food for the fur trappers that Glass’s guiding. Minutes later, an arrow pierces one of the fur trappers and all hell breaks loose.  The bloody attack takes place as native Indians pour down on the group from a ridge.  Running and grabbing their furs, the trappers head for their boat moored close by. Glass and his son run from the woods making it to the riverboat.

From the forty plus men, they are now reduced to about ten heading down stream for a landing point many miles from civilization.  Now on foot, they contemplate the journey they will have to take and the challenges of the terrain.  Directed, produced and co-written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (21 Grams, Oscar winner Birdman, Babel) continues his film showing the bitter conditions in which the men are subjected.  He then throws in a fierce attack by a bear on Glass who’s found near death and unable to lead the men out of the mountainous wilderness.

Iñárritu uses his cameras to catch all the violence, nasty climate, impossible landscape and anguish of the men as he plays out his story.  The lenses catch the continuous plight of the group now on their own and thinking each about their own safety.  Infighting begins lead by John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), but most of all an urgency to flee the area knowing full well the tribe of savages is on their trail.  Left for dead in a shallow grave, Glass has to face his own survival and the camera gets a full view of the pain and suffering.

The acting here by the whole cast makes the film work with very good performances all around.  But two roles are so proficient in depiction that it’s hard to separate which one tops the other.  As the hardened trapper and devious John Fitzgerald, consummate actor Tom Hardy has the task of showing his evil side.  He’s a liar, con artist and a killer and you quickly learn to loath him for his dirty deeds.  Hardy works the antihero personality to perfection giving an acting lesson to others wanting to have a performance like his. Is it Oscar worthy, you can bet on it.  Will he get a nomination? I believe he deserves a nomination here for Supporting Actor and one for Leading Actor for Mad Max: Fury Road.

Taking on the role of Glass, who receives a beating during most of the two and a half hours, DiCaprio shows his ability to depict the hurt and cope with the brutal injuries while making his way through the wilderness.  His confrontation with the bear is incredibly realistic showing the animal’s brute strength as he shatters bones and claws Glass burring him with her body.  The scene is made in one long shot lasting over five minutes of nonstop biting, clawing and tearing at his torso while being flung from side to side.  Gruesome and disturbing, I’ve never seen a more gut wrenching scene that looked so real on the screen. For that alone, the film’s a must see.  As for DiCaprio and the Oscars, much like I said with Tom Hardy goes for him as well.  If he does get nominated for best actor it would be a small miracle with several actors depicting controversial lifestyles and films including scandalous subjects that are being focused on this year.

As far as Oscar’s Best Picture, I believe it will be one of the nine nominated on January 14 and rightly so.  The film has all the necessary earmarks for selection with superb direction, excellent acting, a compelling story and outstanding cinematography. And, you can top it off with a cherry for the amazing special effects and make-up.

The Revenant has been rated R by the MPAA for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity.  As mentioned the bear attack is very gory, the language profuse and there’s a rape of a tribal woman.

FINAL ANALYSIS: This gut wrenching adventure should be a best bet for adult thrill seekers. (A)