Review: The Revenant

When all else fails, let bloody revenge fuel you.

Hugh Glass (Leonardio DiCaprio) is a frontiersmen on a fur trading expedition lead by the young but noble Captain Andrew Henry. (Domhnall Gleeson) They start off with about 40 men, then they are attacked by Natives and that number is down to 10. They have to stash their furs and leave. Glass is brutally attacked by a bear on their way back. At first they attempt to carry him, but they cannot do that up the mountains. So Glass's son Hawk, (Forrest Goodluck) and a very sweet and naive Bridger (Will Poulter) offer to stay behind to watch him until they can get more help. Another tracker, the doubtful John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) also stays behind when Henry offers to pay him more than what his furs work. But after some more dramatic events, Fitzgerald betrays Glass and leaves him behind for dead. Glass embraces the dark side and lets his rage flow through him to crawl back to his camp in the worst of conditions.

I've been hyped for this ever since I saw the wonderful trailer and it absolutely lives up to my heightened expectations. Watching Glass crawl around in the snow, the water, the harsh wilderness, the film actually makes you feel cold. Expecting no less from Emmanuel Lubezki, it's shot beautifully. There were a few times his camera tricks made me dizzy, but he makes an impossible situation look kind of beautiful at times, and brutal at others. I'd say this is probably the 2nd best shot film I've seen this year. (Sicario is still first)

Speaking of brutal, this film is certainly that. Since you know the bear attack is coming the tension leading up to it is almost unbearable. (heh) And Judy (the name they gave the CGI bear) looks fantastic. This thing actually fogs up and drools all over the lens at one point. It's just a brilliant piece of VFX. The fights between the frontiersmen and natives were also done very well.

Let's talk about the acting. Surprising absolutely no one, Leonardo DiCaprio is amazing. He makes you feel Glass' pain. The agony is on his face after every move he makes. Even though he doesn't have many lines, he doesn't need them. The physicality makes up for it. If DiCaprio doesn't win this Oscar, well...someone hates him. This is hands down the best performance from an actor I've seen this year. Tom Hardy is also great. Fitzgerald is such an asshole. He's literally introduced to us bitching about something. Hardy plays him very coldly, there's nothing to like about him and that's the way it should be. You can't even muster up the pity that he was half way scalped at one point in his life. Will Poulter surprised me the most. This kid has a lot of range that I never realized before. Bridger is so sweet and he perfectly contracts the massive dick that is Fitzgerald. Gleeson is also good as Captain Henry. He wants the best for his men, but still struggles with making tough decisions at times.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: A+

Memorable Quote: "If you have a breath, you fight." - Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio)


Comments

  1. Arghhhh I think we've got another week to wait for this here in the UK! I am so glad it lived up to your expectations!
    - Allie

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  2. YEY! Is this your favorite movie of the year?

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    1. It's up there. It's hard to say, I liked Spotlight, The Martian, and Star Wars equally as much as this. There's bits and pieces I like about all.

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  3. Completely agree with your review. Excellent excellent film. If DiCaprio doesn't win the best actor Oscar this year...I just don't know. It's rigged or something, which I've long suspected anyway. There wasn't another acting performance like this one in 2015. He deserves it.

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    1. If he doesn't win it's because he's slept with several academy voter's wives/daughters or something. lol

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  4. Glad you loved it as much as I did because I was just blown away by this film. So breathtakingly shot, so brutal with such a rich lyrical quality. I have a feeling DiCaprio finally has this one in the bag

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    1. I hope so. I still can't believe how painful he made everything look. Every move he took woud've made me pass out.

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  5. Great reviewI I agree about Poulter. He continually surprises me. An actor to watch for sure. You know how I feel about this one. Total A+. Just a great great movie experience from start to finish.

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    1. It is. Poulter's been really solid lately and he was amazing here. I'm looking forward to more of him. Little Eustice is growing up. lol

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  6. This was the first full review I read about The Revenant. I try not to get my hopes too high but I guess I've already lost it. I just wish it will be worth of all the hype.

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    1. It was for me, and I hope it's the same for you! Thanks for reading.

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  7. I want to see this film and am looking forward to it. I wonder how Leo felt wrestling with the bear. The quote is excellent

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    1. I suppose he wrestled with a green beach ball or something, that would be interesting to watch. lol

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  8. Great review Brittani :) I don't know if I loved it as much as you did (I should have my review done soonish), but DiCaprio certainly deserves the award for this one.

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    1. He certainly does, more than one else, IMO. I'm off to read yours!

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  9. Great review! I should really toughen up and just see this. I'm so squeamish so even the early reviews about the brutality of this film kept me from seeing it on the big screen, but maybe if I just think about Judy the bear it might take the edge off a bit, ahah. I heard Hardy's character is quite complex instead of an out-and-out villain type. In any case, I think this one is a lock to get Best Picture nom tomorrow.

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    1. It's pretty brutal but it's not horror-movie gory. I think you'd do okay through most of it, and maybe cringe a few times. I'm not sure if I'd consider Hardy's character very complex, he's an outright asshole. Nothing wrong with that though.

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  10. Great review! One of my absolute favorites of the year. Loved the story, cinematography, Leo, and Hardy. Gleeson and Poulter have been underrated a lot. I loved them, and they offered some great sympathetic characters in spite of the harshness of the environment and vengeance.

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    1. Yeah, they're bound to be underrated with two acts like Leo and Hardy, but they were both so great in their own right. I hope they know that.

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  11. Great review. I was blown away by this. So beautiful and just a stunning piece of cinema. DiCaprio and Hardy were both phenomenal.

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  12. Yay! I loved it, too, but I'm not sure where it ranks with my favorites of the year. Like, it might not even make my top 10. :(

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    1. Oh wow. This is probably 2-4 for me. Somewhere in there.

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