The Revenant [Review]

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe...keep breathing."

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to see DiCaprio in a type of survival game-show, where he encounters several horrifying scenarios in order to achieve the Oscar he so infamously has been denied, then this could be the movie for you. The Revenant sees DiCaprio’s Hugh Glass endure attacking bears, vengeful tribes, broken ligaments, raging rapids, and the cruel natural wilderness, all in an attempt to find the trapper John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), who murdered his son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), and no doubt kill him. Steered firmly by DiCaprio’s visceral drive, the film takes us on a journey through northern Louisiana Purchase, as poor Glass struggles his way through the unknown.

Naturally benefitting from its capable cast, acting heavyweight Tom Hardy joins us fresh from his role as The Krays in Legend, playing opposite DiCaprio as the cowardly Fitzgerald. The cat-and-mouse game the two play is an intriguing one, and even the loveable Hardy manages to make everyone thoroughly hate him in this movie; a testament to his skill. But of course, the main star of The Revenant is undeniably Leonardo DiCaprio. It would seem that this film has risen the actor to dizzying new heights of magnitude, and surely solidifies him as an acting virtuoso who can play most anything.

Aside from the impressive performances, at its core, The Revenant is a grim movie, and one that will test your limits in gore as blood is spilled, animals get sliced open, and body parts come off in a most alarming manner. The bleakness of the situation however, is transcended by the beauty of the picture. A testament to the uncontrollable power of nature, watching The Revenant is an experience in itself; from an aesthetical viewpoint the scenery and cinematography is brilliantly captured by Emmanuel Lubezki and envisioned by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, with every dawn break and wintery landscape being utterly breath-taking. You can’t help but feel alongside DiCaprio in his role as Glass, and every trial he faces feels like one you are living and experiencing for yourself. It truly is a masterclass in immersion.  

Despite the thrilling experience, the film is hindered by its glacial beginning, which is slightly worrying, and as Glass crawls across the harsh terrain to uncertainty you can’t help but think whether the pace will be crawling along too. Fortunately, this is quickly rectified, but there are occasional relapses into the utterly unnecessary that elongate its running length but do nothing to add to the story, such as a scene in an abandoned church where DiCaprio sees visions of his dead child. You would think this would be some sort of poignant and emotional moment, but it ultimately adds very little and seems grossly misplaced.

While The Revenant suffers from a few missteps in narrative, the overall value of the piece is undeniable. A blueprint for an almost perfect western drama, the film utilises its stars to its advantage while also serving up an astounding visual feast that is fantastically fulfilling.