On the way to an oscar
The story is as simple as it gets. In the 1800s, a group of settlers escape an ambush by an
indigenous tribe, and during their travels one man gets separated from the group and gets
brutally attacked by a wild bear and subsequently left for dead by his team.
It's a revenge story more than anything. What it also highlights is human perseverance and
the will to live. The things that happen to this man are truly horrific and difficult to watch.
I'm not sure what parts of the story were embellished or Hollywoodized, but this film sucks
you into this world and puts you right alongside this fatally wounded man desperate to
survive.
Leonardo DiCaprio gives a heart-wrenching performance as Hugh Glass, expressing a
wide range of emotions despite the limited dialogue. Tom Hardy is also phenomenal as one
of the most vile, wretched human beings on the planet. This guy is despicable to the core,
and you forget you're watching Tom Hardy at times because he's completely absorbed in
the role. The supporting cast is great as well despite their small time on screen. As far as
performances and cinematography goes, The Revenant is flawless.
Acting is marvellous, everybody showing great commitment. Leonardo Di Caprio got his
only Oscar for his performance here and it was more than well deserved in one of his best
films and performances, a performance of emotional intensity and honesty that is most
agonisingly poignant. Tom Hardy excels in bringing brooding menace to his role, and Will
Poulter is impressive too.
'The Revenant' has much more to it than those things. The action is brutally tense and the
story, while deliberately paced and very simple, immerses the viewer in how gripping it is,
being intense and emotional. The characters are strongly realised.
Film fares least in the script which is not bad at all but occasionally a little garbled. This is
such a minor criticism however and not enough to bring down my rating.