Left for dead on a fur trading expedition in the wake of an onslaught, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes into the death grip of nature to seek vengeance upon murderous betrayer John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy).
Thoughts
The Revenant is a different offering in the world of Hollywood. A visceral character piece and arthouse poetry flick with subliminal Native American mystique. Production values are phenomenally strong: the costumes, gunpowder shots, authentic period props, and animal carcasses ring true. CGI is mostly impressive in small but significant doses.
Similar to the style of Sir Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame, director Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu is captivating with his use of camera. His lens gets up close and personal with the characters: with them in icy graves; and on snowy slopes. He immerses viewers with his style of motion into the mounting tension of the hunt and battle. Landscaping is exhibited well with camera panning and tracking as much as a single shot can capture.
The writing, what little meat there is on frozen, scavenged bones, is simple. There is the plight of Hugh Glass, the flight and fate of the betrayer, John Fitzgerald, and the central tribal antagonists seeking the lost.
A relatively slow burner, the strength of the actors must motivate and move us forward. The campfire brings to boil mostly strong and seasoned talent. The supporting cast carry themselves suitably. Immediate highlights are Will Poulter (Bridger) and Anthony Starlight (Arikara Chief). Tom Hardy and Poulter, in particular, nail the accented drawl.
Hardy adds another role to his menacing repertoire. He excels as the boisterous, boorish, cunning, cud-chewing villain Fitzgerald. Hardy – a point of initial concern wearing his character rather loosely - quickly finds himself in Fitzgerald’s skin. DiCaprio - of whom I have personally never been the biggest fan - proves himself again. Giving his all and then some,
Leo is not afraid to act through blood, snot, and all manner of hardship. Abandoning dignity with his stringy, scraggly hair, his visage quivering, and the camera in his face, DiCaprio is truly remarkable. There ‘is’ room for improvement; and eyes slightly narrow in the midst of arrows and blade and claw and tooth.
Action in The Revenant is thrilling - a source of ignition delivered to the beat of an Arikara drum. There is killing aplenty and delicious butchery which brings about some inadvertent humour. Unfortunately, raining feathered shafts, gun blasts, and vicious melee fighting are no substitute for a long, drawn out experience. A cutthroat razor or scalping tool could shave a good amount of running time with little incurred detriment.
The Revenant gives us redundant shots of picturesque trees and clouds and frozen dripping leaves that cause an attention span to drift and take away from interest. The editing slips from time to time; film editor Stephen Mirrione moves from one framed shot to the next shot too quickly that takes away any sense of synchronicity. And though spiritually nourishing, not every scene works or compliments the film. There are plot conveniences that undermine any intelligence The Revenant has gathered and story strings are left untied.
Suspension of disbelief is difficult. Strong willed though he may be, Glass is only human. Raked and mauled, in and out of freezing graves, and tossed over a high precipice - with minimal assistance, Glass somehow also survives hypothermic exposure.
With a strong caution to animal lovers, a nod to politics and a question of survival morality, The Revenant is a cold, sad, and harrowing experience. A candidate for best picture and other forthcoming nominations, best viewed for Hardy and especially for Leonardo DiCaprio – give the man his Oscar.
Pg.5