A Non-Traditional Western

Rating: 9/10 (8 January 2016)

The Revenant isn't like most westerns that have very straightforward moral dilemmas and are fun tones, it is dark, and it is complicated. The Revenant is a movie with a lot of backstories that makes, it even more impressive than it already is, and it is impressive. The Revenant is brilliantly acted, features beautiful cinematography all the while showing deep narrative heft. The film is poised to receive major awards attention, and rightfully so.
The first piece of back story surrounding this film is fairly well known, and that is that Leonardo DiCaprio is still fighting for his first Oscar. After seeing this film, it seems safe to say that his performance is Oscar worthy. DiCaprio carries the movie as long stretches of the film feature DiCaprio alone, acting in an isolated surrounding, which is even harder to do. DiCaprio often balances soft-hearted empathy and stone-cold revenge within small stretches, and every emotion is well accentuated. While the focus is on DiCaprio, because he's the cornerstone of the film, Tom Hardy and Domhall Gleeson are also brilliant in this film as well.
Another piece of back story that may not be as well known is that Director Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki decided to shoot the entire film with nothing but natural light. To go a little deeper, considering exposure and reciprocity this gave the filmmakers only a few hours to shoot per day in order to get a good exposure. Even more impressive is that the film is stunningly gorgeous, and by that I mean that the film looks professionally lit, despite the use of no lighting. This is Lubezki's third consecutive cinematography masterpiece, and he'll probably end up winning his third consecutive Oscar for cinematography.
The other impressive aspect of the film is the story. Most westerns tell straightforward stories, with simple characters (good guy vs. bad guy), that's not bad it's just easier to follow. The Revenant mixes traditional western conventions such as the use sweeping panoramic vistas, and the typical setting, but has far more complicated and deeper characters. All of the characters in this film are relatable because their motivations are easy to follow, just not always pleasant. The end result of the realistic character development is that the story is far more realistic and thus thought provoking.
In conclusion, The Revenant is brilliantly acted, and may be the film to finally get Leonardo DiCaprio his much awaited Oscar win. The film is beautifully shot and will, more than likely, win the Best Cinematography Oscar. The story is uncompromising, and graphic when it needs to be. For those who love artistic films, this is right up your alley, and for those who love westerns, you'll probably enjoy it too.