Entertaining but Nothing Special

Rating: 6/10 (28 February 2016)

*Doesn't contain any huge spoilers: just one scene*
After literally just getting back from seeing The Revenant, I decided to share my opinion of it prior to the Oscars before it becomes even more hyped up.
While Leonardo DiCaprio does deliver an incredible performance, making the audience feel his pain and helplessness in certain situations, I found myself often comparing his facial expressions and noises to the scene in The Wolf of Wall Street where his character consumes some surprisingly powerful quaaludes ultimately dropping him directly into the "cerebral palsy phase". I found it somewhat difficult to contain my laughter after making this comparison during the film. Putting that aside, his portrayal of a character determined to have his revenge was impressive.
That being said, even within the opening scenes of the film I found myself focusing more on Tom Hardy's performance. Whether it was his character or his acting that caught my attention, I couldn't tell you. Following the "evil" character in the film added a sense of dramatic flare that we don't always see. Watching as he deals with each and every consequence as it unfolds, watching how little effect this has on his conscience. Short of putting any real spoilers in here, Tom Hardy in my opinion played an essential role in the success of this film.
Overall, I would certainly recommend this film to people because it is a great watch but I also won't be rushing to purchase the DVD upon its release. The story tends to drag in points and many aspects of the story that would have been interesting to see are left unexplored. Perhaps this was to add a degree of mystery to the film but I think it would have helped flesh out the story a little more.