Wow.

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2017)

Shocking, harrowing and gory... yet excellent. This particular film is a one of a kind, and if you can get past its inherit gruesomeness then you shouldn't have any issues enjoying it.
The story line is in my opinion it's strongest feature, I deliberately didn't read the plot before watching it as I wanted to see how it unfolds independently. I had a rough idea of the setting but that was about it. I love this historical period and will always give such films a chance. From the very beginning the story is persistently gripping, you never truly know what we'll face next which leads to constant anticipation. Not to mention the actors involved all do a fantastic job. DiCaprio is undoubtedly a talented and well decorated actor and he continues to display that here. Is this is finest role? Well, that'd debatable but irrelevant considering the film's quality. It is true that Tom Hardy is hard to understand in it, yet for me that just shows he's doing a good job, so many actors down the years have failed miserably in their horrific attempts at different accents, Hardy doesn't in this instance.
If none of that grabs you then the visuals should. It's set in such a beautiful part of the world, overall adding to the already gripping plot. A good old bear scene can't be beaten either! I understand that some people find excessive gore difficult to watch, and if that's you then probably best to avoid this film. For me, I find excessive gore needless and irritating but it doesn't bother me in this context, after all there's plenty more happening with the story as a whole for that to taint my overall opinion. Also, so many people complain about subtitles in English speaking films... I don't recognise that as a valid criticism unless it's completely needless and counter to the logic of the setting. This film uses a lot of subtitled dialogue but for me that just adds to the contemporary setting. Give it a watch, but be prepared.
P.S. I like bears.