A Tough, Morally-Gray Tale of Vengeance and Persistence

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2018)

A testy crew of poachers are ambushed by natives and sent packing into the snowy northern wilderness, led by a soft-spoken frontiersman and his half-Pawnee son. Conditions quickly deteriorate, spurred by a vicious bear attack that leaves the protagonist crippled, and soon the darkest corners of human nature come out to play.
Part western, part survival epic, Alejandro Iñárritu's film (his second in as many years to win Best Director) is a rich, emotionally moving epic that doesn't seem half as long as its running time. He pulls excellent performances from a rather broad cast - both marquee stars and first-time bit players - including a raw, gritty, mostly-isolated show from Leo Dicaprio that finally got him over the hump and into the Best Actors' club. The choice to use all-natural light goes a long way, too, giving the screen a unique look that genuinely feels frostbitten and miserable.
A tough, morally-gray tale of vengeance and persistence, man versus nature and man versus man, that'll stick with you for days. And that mauling scene, damn.