Slow Moving Spectacle

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2016)

What strikes one about The Revenant is its realism. It gives the feeling that you're actually there as the characters are (literally) breathing unto the camera. It is a gorgeously looking movie that's a love letter to nature. However the cinematography is almost better than the story actually deserves.
The problem is that The Revenant drags its feet. It is a two and a half hour film and you feel it easily could have been shortened down to two hours of even less when you look at the actual substance of the story. Its slow movement and too many weird dream sequences can wear one's patience down.
That said if you don't mind slow moving films then The Revenant is highly recommendable. It is a quality drama film with solid performances. It is teeming with metaphors that will take many viewings to decipher. The story was good, but I did not like the ending. For all the time that it took to get there the final resolution felt quick. In fact the movie is less satisfying the more it goes on.
Overall The Revenant is a spectacle that's a visual joy, but I doubt its for everyone. I'm not even sure whether I liked it and my high score is due more to the film's obvious quality rather than personal favour.