DiCaprio and Hardy Shine in a Well Thought Out Film

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2016)

When 'The Revenant' was announced, I figured it was just another movie that Leo signed on for to get his Oscar. Then the first trailer dropped and my opinion turned on a dime. This film was very well done. I see where people are coming from when they think the movie is hollow. However, people need to think a bit deeper in this film. There are multiple deeper messages than just being a revenge story throughout the piece.
First things first, Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography is some of the greatest of all time. People will lean forward in their seats from multiple long and up close shots that blow your mind and make you wonder just how each shot was done.
Many people are talking about DiCaprio's performance and ignoring another large part of the film. While Leonardo DiCaprio's performance is mainly physical as he only has about 20 or so lines of dialogue (most of which not even in English), Tom Hardy's performance is mainly dialogue driven as he provides context for pivotal points within the film. Hardy and DiCaprio's performance go hand in hand to create a very interesting dynamic between the two characters.
The directing by Alejandro G. Innaritu is also extremely well done. The shots and acting wouldn't have been possible without his brains behind the computer.
Overall, the film overstays it's welcome a bit. The two and a half hour run time begins to become prevalent to the two hour mark. It would have been possible to shave off some scenes like the horse sleeping scene. I have a specific opinion that the last shot of a film is extremely important. I believe this film wastes it's last shot and leaves a strange taste in your mouth as opposed to the mystery it wants to leave you with. In the end, the film is well done and well delivered with the help of a likely Oscar winning performance from Leonardo DiCaprio and a strong supporting cast of Tom Hardy, Domnhall Gleason, and Will Poulter.