Review: The Revenant

Revenant: a person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead. Also the titular film that everyone is talking about, Lydia Rugg reviews The Revenant…

  Alejandro González Iñárritu, cinematically displays true events surrounding the struggles of the 19th century American Frontiersman, such as Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. He experiences immense physical pain after a bear attack, a clip offered in good faith in the . I can justifiably say that the scene of the attack is incredibly difficult to not wince at. Through the graphic realism of the scene, the lines are blurred between watching a simulated, choreographed visually stunning VFX sequence and an actual attack. Putting aside the technical achievements the film has made, the screenplay also plays an important part with its subtle, gentle expression of humanity and moralistic values. Mark L.Smith provides minimal dialogue, leaving the cinematography alone to explain scenes. The presentation of Glass being bilingual also offers a commendable honoring of history.

This film is important due its cultural pedagogical presentation to the masses. Due to its mainstream appeal, the story of this legendary explorer can be appreciated and respected. I would recommend this film for anyone with an interest in stories of humanity, endurance, tribes in North American and of course superb performances by Tom Hardy and Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s worth noting Will Poulter’s performance, who plays a character of immense moralistic sensibilities. The character Domhnall Gleeson plays; Captain Andrew Henry, is probably the only performance that falls slightly flat for me. Gleeson has shone in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens this year already as well as Ex Machina and Harry Potter shorts in the past. However, for me, Gleeson would have fit a fellow frontiersman, instead of an authoritarian who gives orders to Hardy’s character (Fitzgerald) which is just as disorientating as it sounds.

Nevertheless, the film stands as an epic piece of art, in the retelling of this important figure through visually stunning techniques. The gliding camera panning allows for a subjective viewing experience: as we are allowed to see through the eyes of Glass. Iñárritu exemplifies yet again that he is skilled in the area of capturing the real aesthetics and visual storytelling of varied cultural communities and historical areas. I am speaking as a great fan of his work in Amores Perros, (2000) in which he captured Mexican class structure and tradition in a universally understandable way.

For anyone looking for a thrilling journey through one man’s lone expedition to seek revenge and retribution in a human experiment, pushing the body past maximum exertion, then this is just the hypnotically captivating experience for you.