The Revenant: A Master Class in Film

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2016)

After having seen The Revenant, I can truly say it is one of the greatest films I have ever seen. Every element of this movie is handled expertly, with people who have a genuine love for their craft. Alejandro González Iñárritu has once again outdone himself, as he did with his excellent Birdman from last year. Of the movies that came out in 2015, only The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road truly blew my mind.
The Revenant has some of the most beautiful cinematography I have ever laid eyes on. While most movies feature quick-cut editing and shaky cam in their action scenes, The Revenant blew my mind with single-take action scenes with fantastic choreography. Honestly, there are some huge action scenes in this movie with almost no cuts at all. It was truly breathtaking to see a film where the filmmakers just let you watch it, without having to squint and lean forward in your chair just to understand what is happening on screen. In The Revenant, you just stare in awe and soak in the things happening on screen.
Now, let's talk about the acting. Leonardo Dicaprio has proved time and time again that he is one of the greatest actors working today. This may have been his best performance yet. It's a much different performance from The Departed, The Wolf Of Wall Street, and many others. Dicaprio's performance in The Revenant is almost entirely physical. From the incredible stunt work to the insane method acting used to get into character, this was the point where I didn't see Leonardo Dicaprio, the pretty boy. I saw Hugh Glass in this movie. When an actor does such a good job that you no longer see the character they are portraying as that actor, that actor should be commended. In fact, all of the acting in this movie is superb. Tom Hardy gives one of the best performances I've ever seen from him, selling every word out of his mouth. Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson are also very compelling, the former giving the best performance of his career.
When I left the theatre, I was shaking. The atmosphere in The Revenant is so present and strong that I was shivering in my seat, and for the next half hour after the movie ended. Now, this movie doesn't have much to say about society or anything like that. It isn't some profound metaphor. It's a film about both the beauty and horror of nature. Every scene in the film feels gritty and real. The Revenant is the first movie I have gone to in a very long time that I can call an experience.