An over-wrought and one dimensional story almost saved by Tom Hardy

Rating: 3/10 (27 December 2015)

First of all, know this is a guy movie. Blood, revenge, action. Over and over again. And for you guys, you might get encouraged by that. But I would warn against getting excited, because this film is essentially a let down. Also be prepared for a politically correct lecture.
There were rumours of DiCaprio getting an Oscar for this role. No chance! Why? Because it hardly requires a wide dramatic range. The whole film is one mood throughout i.e. depressing. Endless snow, cold, greyness and savagery. And it actually gets a little tedious.
I think we're meant to marvel at how DiCaprio survives onslaught after onslaught. But it becomes a parody. A bear attack, falling off a cliff, starving, almost drowning. The list goes on. And yet DiCaprio just keeps on going like a Duracell rabbit. They overdid it basically.
I wanted to enjoy this film. And Tom Hardy's predictably convincing part almost saved it. But there's only so much torture, pain and snow I can take. Add to that the politically correct message repeated over and over about whitey taking Indian land. We get it, white man bad, Indian man good!
I give it a 3, because it was nothing special at all. And partly to compensate for the usual fraud brigade rigging these results with ridiculously high ratings!