After a second thought, I'd rather rewatch "The Martian"...

Rating: 7/10 (21 February 2016)

In 1823, in the wild Northern Plains of America, trapper Hugh Glass, played by never-Oscar-winning Leonardo Di Caprio, is savagely attacked by a bear, in a scene that became an instant buzz-maker and as far his (mis)adventures would go, only the starter. Indeed, he later witnesses the killing of his half-Native son by the bad guy, Fitzgerald (played by Tom Hardy) and is left for dead in the freezing forest, with a body so severely mauled he can hardly breath, speak, or walk. Glass crawls his way out to the next river and then begins the harrowing journey of a man within an inch of life, but an eternity on the scale of his revenge. The only character I can recall who went through a worse situation in a film was a certain Jim Caviezl in a Mel Gibson's Biblical film.
As hackneyed as it sounds, "The Revenant" is one of these films the expression 'cinematic experience' was invented for. It is a survival-into-wilderness tale that elevates the word 'pain' to unexplored territories, not even "Cast Away", and certainly not "The Martian". I complained about co-nominee Damon not having enough scenes to show the 'physical' struggle of a man trapped in a hopeless situation but if I had to rewatch a film, I guess I'd still go with "The Martian". I know no performance came close to Leo's and his Oscar win is as a mathematical certainty as the Titanic sinking. But there's a limit to how long a performance mostly made of suffering, grunting and agonizing can please you, no matter how good it is. François Truffaut said "a movie should either show the joy or the agony of making the film", now, talk about overkill.
And Leo gets the lion share of recognition, and the awards... poor Caviezel didn't work with the right director. Speaking of whom, Inarritu and cinematographer Lubeski also deserve credit for overcoming the technical difficulties that undermined the shooting, from the weather to the lighting (even if it's not difficult to make beautiful cinematography out of beautiful landscapes). There's something in Inarritu's directing that literally made 'nature' alive and watching "The Revenant" was like penetrating the hostile wilderness, feeling like the pelt-trappers waiting for an arrow to erase one of us from life. Those were the unsettled days where men with greed by way of bravery, paved the way to the conquest of a yet unknown America. This 'unknown' feeling is conveyed in the opening sequence that reminds of the landing massacre in "Saving Private Ryan", where you know the quietness of nature is only the omen of an imminent violence.
And from the graphicness, you know it's not a 'savage' vs. 'civilized world' thing, it's just men protecting their possessions, expressing their natural instinct, like Glass protecting his son from the suspicious eyes of the other trappers or the mother bear attacking Glass to protect her cubs. What I own, I protect. I liked that aspect. And this is why "The Revenant" didn't need the surreal moments, where Glass is haunted by the visions of his deceased wife, like in "Gladiator" (a part I didn't like either). A film of such sober ambitions on the field of storytelling shouldn't indulge to usual supernatural 'interludes', especially when they're so expected in Native-themed movies.
Actually, I'm not even sure the film needed the revenge either, which was a first departure from the real story. Apparently, there was a need of a human antagonist, as the unscrupulous and manipulative Fitzgerald. So, for all its harrowing visuals, the film sticks with the classic "good vs. evil" thing. Still, Tom Hardy adds a lively touch to a rather introspective film. He's menacing, truly intimidating and sometimes, his eyes speak more than his actions, so despite the verbal richness of his role, he still says more with his eyes, and looks like a ferocious beast who'd never hesitate to attack when smelling the danger. The final confrontation, although conventional, is like the recreation of the bear scene, proving that once you hit a man's deepest instincts, the beasts inside awakens. What I own, I protect, and for what I protect, I kill.
And it's only when he remembers the words from a Native helper that Glass stops acting like an animal. And this is when you get the meaning of the title. "The Revenant" carries this come-back notion, but it also has to do with the French translation as 'revenant' is a 'soul' or a 'spirit'. Hugh Glass is much alive, as he carries the soul of a deceased family, and it's his connection to the world of the dead that keeps guiding him in his road for survival and his quest for justice. It's powerful, but did we need to have it said, on the nose?
Now, what lies behind this last shot?
Maybe the sadness of a man whose soul can rest now, but whose heart is still tormented. An end that is waiting for a new beginning? A sort of 'what now?' I'm still puzzled by that last shot, but I think there's an interesting correlation with Leo's role, so much has been said about it: he swam in cold waters, ate a raw buffalo liver, and went through the most painful extreme, he'll get his overdue Oscar, and he'll never have a more difficult role. So what can he do after?
Well, I just want to conclude in a lighter tone and say 'give him the Oscar and give him a break, and a few fun roles in movies that express –this time- the joy of making a film.'