The Revenant (2016) (English Language)

Review

156min

Genre:     Fact-based, Adventure, Drama, Thriller

Director:  Alejandro González Iñárritu

Cast:       Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson…and more

Writers:   Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith & Michael Punke

Oscar-winning writer/director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s semi-biographical survival drama set in the unforgiving 19th century American frontier, starring  Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass, a fur trapper on a survival and revenge mission after being left for dead by his company following a brutal bear attack.

Already racking up wins and nominations on the awards circuit this year, it’s safe to say that ‘The Revenant’ is one of the best films of the last 12 months, another cinematic triumph for Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s and his team.

This visually stunning, uncompromising and often brutal revenge story and survival tale is based on the extraordinary experiences of early 19th century fur trapper and “mountain man” Hugh Glass, with plenty of dramatic license taken of course, but it also doubles as a compelling little history lesson with a clear subtext of ecological conservation.

After all, the North American fur trade was a global industry which preceded the gold & oil rush, and which had a clear impact on its environment, an early example on the damaging effects of capitalism which would become much clearer with the imminent American industrial revolution.

Beyond a tale of survival and revenge, this is an early 19th century narrative dealing with “First Nations” and the treatment of indigenous peoples by the colonizing Europeans, but rather refreshingly, ‘The Revenant’ doesn’t sugar-coat the existing complex relationships between the native peoples of North America and the brutality involved.

Much will be made about breaking the so-called “snubbing” of Leonardo DiCaprio at the Oscars, but any acclaim directed his way is well deserved as he delivers a committed performance that’s intentionally often hard to watch but impossible to ignore. Not to mention a strong supporting cast, with Tom Hardy as the antagonist of the piece particularly catching the eye.

Iñárritu and cinematographer extraordinaire Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki’s insistence on using only natural light and the film’s long production time, coupled with the logistical nightmare of location shooting in such a beautiful but unforgiving environment, all conspire to place ‘The Revenant’ pretty high on the list of most gruelling movie shoots.

But that pain is up on the screen for all to see and is crucial to both the narrative and the very feel of the film, the result is visceral and striking, a real triumph of naturalistic filmmaking. Perfectly captured by constantly moving cameras, signature long tracking shots and low angle close-ups that give ‘The Revenant’ a real sense of urgency.

In fact the film feels like Iñárritu co-opted the cast and crew to take some great voyage of discovery to understand the people they were portraying, men who lived on the edge of survival in inhospitable and barely discovered lands on the frontiers of North America nearly 200 years ago, and of whom very little is known much less written.

The Bottom Line…

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s fascinating evolution as a filmmaker continues with this remarkable tale of survival, revenge and redemption, ‘The Revenant’ is a visceral and engrossing cinematic experience that deserves all the praise it gets.

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Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Ravenous (1999)

In the 19th century old American West, an army Captain is exiled to a remote and unforgiving outpost where harsh conditions and betrayal bring his unit to anarchy and cannibalism as he struggles for survival against the elements and a sadistic foe.

Directed by Antonia Bird and starring Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle and Jeffrey Jones among others.

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