A brutal, harrowing, and visually stunning adventure film unlike anything that's been seen before

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2015)

The Revenant is Alejandro Iñàrritu's majestic revenge story set in the early 1800s that follows the larger than life true story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he travels across old America in hopes of exacting revenge against the men that left him gravely wounded and his son dead. The revenge story line is the oldest in the book and, no matter how overplayed, evokes the most emotion especially when the players are right. DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Will Poulter make for some pretty excellent players in Iñàrritu's more visual film and this allows audience members to connect with the film on a more accessible level rather than the cinephiles that this film was made for. Emanuel Lebezki has, yet again, outdone himself. The beauty in each frame is undeniable. The landscapes, the snow, the blood, the violence. No matter how harrowing a situation is, the film is still one of the most beautiful ever made and this is a testament to Lebezki and Iñàrritu. The patience they endured on set speaks volumes to the film that they made. The Revenant isn't fast paced, it isn't action packed, it is a story told through the eyes of a visionary and that may off put some people who are looking for a film like The Hunted or The Grey or any other man against wilderness film. The film is slow and takes it's time in giving the audience something they can sink their teeth into. Instead, they allow the audience to be submersed in this cold and desolate landscape, all while capturing the beauty of the American landscape. The battle scenes are epic. Mostly done through extended long takes, the film is a cinephile's dream. The camera movements, the tracking shots and that glorious bear attack are all beautifully done and shown in the most harrowing way possible. For a film to open with an over 10 minute long take of a battle nonetheless, it is truly captivating and awe inspiring to see filmmakers push themselves to their limits both physically and creatively. But as much as the filmmakers pushed themselves, so did the cast. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a brilliant performance as Hugh Glass. In films before, we've seen DiCaprio fake pain. In this film, you actually feel his pain. With every bite from a bear, every broken bone being reset, every wound being crudely stitched, his performance reeks of perfection and that is exactly what we get from him here. Tom Hardy as John Fitzgerald is a typical bad guy here, nothing more nothing less. He's good, he's not on the level of DiCaprio here though. The rest of the cast is amazing, as always with any Iñàrritu film. Overall, The Revenant is a brilliant film that isn't quite a masterpiece but has enough technical achievements within it to set it apart from any other film this year. I definitely recommend it.