The Revenant, an 1800s period piece, tells the true story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), an American fur trapper who is mauled by a bear and left for dead by a fellow frontiersman (Tom Hardy). It is a story of revenge, fatherhood, and the strength of the human spirit, as Glass must fight his way through the harsh elements and a ruthless Indigenous population, angered by the fur company’s presence on their land, to complete his journey and achieve retribution from those who have wronged him.
DiCaprio and Hardy lead the way with outstanding performances as mortal enemies, despite neither of them, particularly DiCaprio, having many lines of dialogue throughout the film. Traditional exposition takes a backseat to physical acting, such as many telling facial expressions, to effectively convey the inner and outer struggles of the two men. With The Revenant, award-winning director Alejandro Iñárritu understands film is primarily a visual storytelling tool and works it to its full potential here, perfecting the idea of “show, don’t tell” filmmaking. Although The Revenant features fantastic direction, performances, and makeup/costume work, the cinematography is easily the most impressive aspect of the film.
The entirety of The Revenant is shot only using natural lighting, creating incredible frames by utilizing fire, sunlight, and the night sky, often taking a break from the action so the audience can appreciate the magnificence of the winter setting. Every shot feels as if it is a cinematic painting, worthy of a place on your wall. This fact dedicates itself perfectly to one of the most unique aspects of the movie: the contrast between the beauty of nature and the ugliness of man. The movie’s characters are clothed in filthy animal pelts, feature disgustingly unkempt hair, and are often covered in dirt, or rather blood, matching their sinister intentions and vicious actions.
The Revenant is all about one man’s journey for vengeance, but perhaps that journey was longer than necessary. There are a few noticeable points in the film which could have been cut back, especially towards the end. In the last 45 minutes or so, Iñárritu makes the questionable decision to slow down the tempo of the film, when it should have been escalating towards the final conflict.
The Revenant is as brutal and aesthetically breathtaking as the winter-landscape in which it is set upon. Strong performances and unbelievable visuals make it an incredibly distinctive theatre experience that audience members will not soon forget.
