Leo toughs it out

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2018)

Based on a true story: In 1823, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an experienced hunter and trapper working with other trappers in the northwestern U.S. While facing hardship and difficulties in the wild, Glass is betrayed. The movie chronicles his survival and his quest for revenge.
Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has created brilliant scenes within the elements of nature. He is greatly aided by cinematographer Emmanuel Lukezki. The many aerial vistas (filmed in southern Argentina and the western regions of Canada and the U.S.) reward the eyes and there is great excitement in battle scenes and the now famous and unforgettable scene involving a grizzly bear. The filmmakers can also be credited for keeping the viewers' interest during all of its 2.5 hours.
At one point, I found it too hard to accept that one man (Glass) could withstand so much and not only survive but even thrive at times. After some research, I learned that the events of the first half of the film are indeed true but the second half was fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
In a very unusual performance, DiCaprio deserves credit for a film in which he is mostly silent. There are moments of intense emotion with his great struggles and he can definitely elicit sympathy in his silence.
"The Revenant" is certainly a good film overall but probably not worthy of all the awards it received. It is yet one of many macho movies galore. It is very skilled but it does not advance the genre.