Tedious Study in Ultra Male Macho Ego with Pretty Nature Cinematography

Rating: 1/10 (18 January 2016)

I've grown weary of these "I am man therefore invincible" movies. The cast of this film is all male, aside from one female thrown in so she can be raped.
I know this film is based on a true story, a man who survived this sort of overwhelming circumstances. But, really, all of this is true? Nevertheless, the film doesn't provide enough back-story (aside from his visions of his wife/partner dying and other odd visions). I don't know who he is (the main character). I don't know who Tom Hardy is - why is he such a jerk? Basically there is no character development or back-story on anyone. The only moments I "felt" anything are when ((SPOILER)) his son is being murdered by Tom Hardy and when the Native woman is being raped. Otherwise the film is a grueling series of violent (bordering on ridiculous the amount of situations that arise) circumstances over and over and over again until the final bloody end.
I need character development, some story line, some reason to care about anyone. This movie, to me, has absolutely no soul. No moral compass. Is Leo's character a good guy because he's sad about his son and saves a native woman from nonstop rape? I guess that means he's a good guy.
There are beautiful visuals of nature, nice cinematography. The bear scene is well done and feels so real even though the bear is CGI. Leo does a good job acting (grunting mostly). But this movie lacks soul. Lacks characters. Lacks everything except nonstop violence.
I could have left this movie several times, and come back to essentially the same scene for the entire duration of the film (near-dead man somehow enduring and soldiering on to his next near-death experience).
I found this film dreadful, tiresome and lazy story telling. If this wins Best Picture there is something wrong with our culture.