Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu
By Alex Watson
Branded 'The Shoot From Hell', Alejandro G Iñárritu's tough slog has produced one of the films of 2016. The Revenant is a cold blooded but thrilling story of vengeance and survival which surrounded by Emmanuel Lubezki's gorgeous picture postcard photography will stay with us. The story of Hugh Glass is not easy viewing by any means but his determination shows the essence of humanity will to beat the odds and see another day. Sweeping the Golden Globes last night, this is shaping up to be an awards season favorite.
A fur expedition led by Captain Andrew Henry (Domnhall Gleason) runs into trouble when it is attacked by a band of Arikara Indians. Losing almost a third of the men, the survivors head down river and hope for survival. Their chances are compromised when expert tracker Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a savagely mauled by a bear. Left for dead by his heartless colleague Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Glass has the odds stacked against him. What follows is an incredible story of survival.
The Revenant is an odds-on favorite for having two of the most breathtaking sequences of this year. Surrounded by a beautiful natural light, the camps opening attack is a rare breed of horrifying wonder. The moment the Indians arrive, chaos and disorder swiftly follow. Arrow whistle through the air like angels of death and men run for survival only to be mowed down. Lubezki shows he has earned his back to back Oscar wins during this moment and it sure gets the blood pumping. Glass' attack, however, is the real eye opener and never before has an animal attack looked so beautiful. Bones crack, skin tears and the man left to contend with a far worse beast- nature itself.
On the expedition, the men vary in terms of character as Henry is a stiff and uptight leader, Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) is a newbie to this game and his fear shines brightly. Fitzgerald is the real antagonistic force of the picture, a menacing, and self-serving presence the man will lying, cheat, steal and even resort to murder to get ahead. When Glass sees his Native American son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) murdered before his eyes, it plants a seed of fury as he lies immobilized. After he is left in a poorly dug grave, the man is forced to literally drag himself out. His journey from there is one test after another in the wild and sees him having to fend for himself by catching raw fish and defying death by escaping down a surging river.
Iñárritu emerges as the real star of The Revenant because the little touches he makes elevate this about the ordinary man v nature picture. His use of natural light only and Steadicam along with his bold actions such as jumping into water to follow his heroes attempt to escape death are electrifying. We never truly learn Hugh Glass' backstory, but his spirit draw us to him in a big way. Continuously he defies the odds and his journey is one that is a tough watch but worth every second. Out in the wilderness and heavily injured, Glass is forced to go beyond human limits. We see him sleeping in an animal carcass, riding off a cliff to escape another attack all the while he never loses sight of the people who wronged him. It's the kind of intensity that makes the stuff of legends.
Leonardo DiCaprio gives a performance of such raw bravado that it makes the picture tick around him. With only limited dialogue, this is by far DiCaprio's most physically demanding role, but he is not afraid to play around in the dirt. What follows is one of the fieriest and committed performances you are likely to see. If this man doesn't take home an Oscar, I don't know what to think. The supporting performances are likewise excellent with Tom Hardy leading the way as half scalped bully Fitzgerald. A worthy villain for Glass to target, Hardy's malice hovers on screen even when he is absent.
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu made his crew go through hell during their shoots in Canada and Argentina, but whatever risks were taken have given the desired result. The Revenant is one of the most hypnotic pieces of cinema you will see in 2016. Just proof that Iñárritu is playing at the top of his game.
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