Survival Has No Plot. Just Survival.

Rating: 7/10 (27 January 2016)

The Revenant takes place before the Civil War and tells the story of frontiersman Hugh Glass, a navigator for a group of American fur trappers. After being betrayed and left for dead, Hugh ventures through the wilderness and endures through the beautiful yet brutal forces of nature to seek his revenge.
The direction and cinematography were excellent and were the driving force of the film. From the very beginning, Innaritu pulls you into the harsh world of Midwest Pre-Civil War America. If you're a fan of his camera-work in Birdman, be prepared for more of that. Innaritu's vision captures the right moments and details to gasp in horror and to cringe in pain. The film often cuts to location nature shots; every shot was absolutely beautiful. I felt like I was transported there and taking a beautiful morning hike when I was not being mauled by a bear.
Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Hugh Glass as our lead man braving through the winter. It was almost as if the film was an advertisement to convince the Academy to give DiCaprio his Oscar. "Look at all of this crazy stuff he had to do this for this role! Give it to him!" Jokes aside, DiCaprio performs the part well; his body and facial language were well executed and helped convey the pain and wear his body endures through the harsh winters and dangerous creatures within. I don't believe the performance to be Oscar-worthy compared to his other roles, because, in this film, he mostly acts in pain and suffering throughout. There isn't much in terms of character development and depth; Innaritu explores some of that in his flashbacks, but leaves the details subtle and easily missed.
Tom Hardy does an excellent job portraying the antagonist; he feels for his character and, though he is portrayed as a villain, manages to make the audience feel empathetic for him and understand his viewpoint.
What surprised me was Will Poulter's emotional performance as Jim Bridger. The emotion he conveys felt natural and tense at the right moments, and his interaction with Tom Hardy brewed some unexpected dynamics between the two in their respective roles.
What I found the film lacking in was its story and its pacing. The plot is very straightforward, and the form of the film presents it linearly. We get it, there's tension and Glass wants his revenge. The story has been told countless times in various (and better) forms. At times, the film felt so slow because of its lack of plot. While the length of the film helps accentuate how long Glass endures through the nature, there are a lot of times the film focuses on the atmosphere and intensity of the film rather than the actual plot and pacing.
Overall, The Revenant is a survivor and revenge film all in one. With a simple plot, Innaritu is able to focus on Glass' endurance and drive through the beauty and beast of nature.