A Visual Tour de Force with a Captivating Story

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2016)

Many films excited me towards the end of 2015 such as Star Wars VII, Spectre, The Hateful Eight but I must be honest I was most excited to see The Revenant. The movie follows a simple revenge/survival story with Leonardo DiCaprio being the focal point of it after being left for dead by his crew in the wilderness.From watching the teaser trailer last year, I could already tell that it would be visually stunning but after watching it I have concluded that it is more than visually stunning it is a visual achievement, there are scenes that will shock you and make yourself wonder how it was shot. There are many scenes in the movie that are shot in a "Birdman" fashion with the slow tracking shots with long takes however it never feels like Innaritu is milking on Birdman's visual success. The movie also looks very realistic in showcasing the grit and filth of being a frontiersman. The acting in this movie is also very good and DiCaprio puts on a very captivating performance which could very likely win him an Oscar. I feel as though Tom Hardy should also be recognized for his performance as he was excellent as well. However amidst all this praise I cannot help but feel as though the film has flaws. I feel as though the plot is very simple in essence and is just how DiCaprio's character survives and how he obtains vengeance. However I never feel as though the moral Innaritu was trying to portray at moments in the movie is fully expressed. It was almost like the film was going to go in a more morally conscious direction but was changed. However the movie is still one of the best I have seen in 2015 and is sure to win many awards. Go see it!
8.5/10