Cold, harsh and lonely tale of survival

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2016)

In the frigid wilderness of the Dakotas, a band of frontiersmen who gather pelts (animal skins) for a living, are suddenly ambushed by a Native American tribe with many being brutally slaughtered while the rest escape on a boat. This opening sequence of Alejandro Iñárritu's adaptation of Michael Punke's 'The Revenant' is among the most thrilling since The Gladiator's opening. This tale of one animal trapper's horrifying experiences in the harshest of environments is as tedious and unforgiving as the surrounding environment and it forms the perfect allurement for juries of various award ceremonies who dig the silent, solitary performers. This might indeed be Leonardo DiCaprio's long awaited Oscar but certainly not the most deserving one.
After narrowly escaping the ruthless onslaught from the natives, the frontiersmen decide to head to their outpost, Fort Kiowa. Unfortunately though, in a brutal encounter with a mother grizzly bear, Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is gravely injured, making the group's journey a laborious task. The Captain offers a reward to those who would take the responsibility to bring Glass to the Fort and so his son Hawk, Bridger (Will Poulter) and the ever confrontational Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) drag Glass over ice and hills until greed, apathy and selfishness within Fitzgerald leave Glass alone in the wilderness with barely the ability to walk. Apart from the bone chilling weather and lack of food, he must now desperately find shelter from the Arikara tribe. The fates of every character are linked. The tribe's chief is in pursuit of his kidnapped daughter Powaqa which leads to them crossing paths with Glass' company. Fitzgerald was once scalped by some natives and his undying hatred for them leads him to mercilessly murder Hawk. Glass, though helpless for much of the movie is driven by rage and the need for retribution which turns into a desperate hunt when his company discovers Fitzgerald's betrayal.
The sun never shines with hope for anyone in the story. From diving into the icy river full of rapids to finding shelter inside a dead horse's carcass, Glass faces nature's harshness as he takes each step in perpetual agony resulting from his injuries. Being mauled by a ferocious bear can never lead to a speedy recovery but in 1823, being abandoned for the dead, it just makes things a bit more challenging.
There is no doubt that Leo's performance showcases a solid commitment that anchors the film firmly. However, with fewer dialogues than any of his movies to-date, his silent performance strongly indicates all but one emotion; anguish. For over 2 hours, we are subjected to a helpless, abandoned and weak Hugh Glass who trudges along gradually, with barely the resolve to help overcome his pain. The depth of his coldness is second to that of his surroundings that are harsh and brutal to any survivor let alone one who was mauled by a grizzly. At times, his survival is aimless and desperate while there are subdued emotions portraying his desire for vengeance. Prolonged sequences of such dullness can be engaging for serious cinema enthusiasts but the rest will have to be satisfied with the stunning white backdrop of Canada and Argentina that are supposed to match Dakota and Montana back in the day. While this must've been an enormous challenge for Leo as an actor in those harsh environments, it certainly isn't his best show. Muttering, yelling and grunting lack the appeal of powerful dialogue delivery that Leo is renowned for. Tom Hardy is impressive as the cunning betrayer and with his thick accent and rough appearance, is even difficult to identify.
Director Iñárritu's vision for The Revenant was very personal even though it drew inspiration from Michael Punke's novel. The opening sequence involving the raid by the natives, the grizzly attack, the sweeping shots of mountain ranges, blizzard conditions and even close ups of the actors emoting make for some powerful narrative. Filming during particular hours in the day just for a grim effect is the hallmark of a passionate filmmaker and Iñárritu deserves the nomination for his efforts. However, his overlong, tedious, cold and savage tale of survival and determined vengeance must rather make way for the survivor on another planet that offered more inspiration and entertainment.

7.431 on a scale of 1-10.