Compelling and beautiful, if flawed.

Rating: 9/10 (21 January 2016)

Alejandro G. Iñárritu's film serves up a chilly tale of retribution and revenge. Apparently filmed in Argentina and Alberta, the climate within which the protagonists rage is as cold as the tale they inhabit. Frozen wastes never looked so beautiful. Icy waterfalls never so magical. The cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki) astounds with almost every scene full of beauty and wonder.
In some ways, it's like a Malick movie. Nature is given a canvas on which to paint it's own image and the effect is outstanding. However, it also has a compelling narrative, suspending our disbelief in the telling. It's only afterwards you start to wonder why a fish would be eaten raw when there is a fire just feet away? How did he fire his pistol without reloading it? There are further flaws, but suspend our disbelief it does. The sheer majesty of the film over-rides such quibbles as you become immersed in it's scale and wonder.
The performances are raw and compelling. This is nature by tooth and claw. Leonardo DiCaprio throws himself into every scene with savage gusto, convincing us of his pain and suffering. Yet his commitment is matched by those around him. Tom Hardy impresses as John Fitzgerald, giving his character a humanity lesser actors would never have found, and Domhnall Gleeson is excellent as Captain Andrew Henry. The rest of the support cast are exemplary too.
Flawed it may be, but it's a cinematic experience to be savoured. Don't miss it. Enjoy it and immerse yourself in it's drama. Let the film work it's magic and you'll not regret it.