'The Revenant' review: Visceral, brutal & harrowing epic of survival, revenge
The latest film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu ("Birdman"), "The Revenant" (opening in select cities Dec. 25 and nationwide Jan. 8) is a bruising, brutal and emotionally exhausting tale of survival and revenge. This grim story is simultaneously gripping, unsettling and impossible to look away from.
In short: In the early 19th century American frontier, fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is attacked (certainly not raped) by a grizzly bear and he is left for dead. Against all odds, he survives his injuries and seeks revenge against those responsible for abandoning him alone in the wild. (Watch the trailer)
"The Revenant" is an elegant array of contradictions. It's a simple tale of revenge and survival, but executed with nuanced, rich performances and set in a vibrant and haunting world. It is a beautifully shot and acted film that demands total attention - while telling an unrelentingly violent story that is, at times, very difficult to watch. It's impossible to look away and equally impossible to not squirm during several of the more graphic sequences. Fair warning: this film - which graphically depicts scalping, knife fights and a particularly gory bear mauling - is certainly not for the faint of heart.
This film absolutely makes the audience endure Glass's ordeal. From its bleak color palette to its deliberate pacing, "The Revenant" absolutely makes the audience feel every dagger of ice cold water when Glass jumps into a raging river and feel every shot of agonizing pain as Glass hobbles on an ankle contorted at an unnatural angle. Credit to DiCaprio and Iñárritu for crafting an unflinching film that makes the audience experience every step of Glass's long and painful pursuit of revenge.
Even the two-and-a-half hour running time effectively make the audience endure the journey along with Glass - it also allows moments to breath. The bear attack itself is drawn out, but in the best way possible: it allows the film to show the savage nature of a bear mauling. It also drives home the point that Glass should have probably died from his wounds. Iñárritu creates a desolate and unforgiving frontier that would kill most healthy men - and it drops Glass into an absolutely impossible situation.
At the heart of "The Reverant" is DiCaprio, whose harrowing and nearly wordless performance absolutely deserves notice. He gives a totally committed performance of a man driven by a single minded survival instinct if only to claim revenge. For much of the film, Glass is either unable to speak or strapped to a make-shift gurney -- yet DiCaprio is still able to deliver a nuanced and stand-out performance.
While the long running time serves to emphasis the odds stacked against Glass, it occasionally makes the film feel bloated. The first act is highlighted by a well-paced assault by Native warriors, but the film takes its time before becoming truly compelling. The middle of "Revenant" is undeniably brilliant - but the first act is slow to get the film to start and the third act loses some momentum - essentially devolving into a slow-paced chase sequence in the snow. And despite the long running time, "The Revenant" doesn't give much character dimension to either DiCaprio or his co-star Tom Hardy -- they are simply "good guy" and "creepy bad guy." Despite their relatively shallow characters, DiCaprio and Hardy deliver one of the best protagonist-antagonist pairings of 2015.
Verdict: Iñárritu has create a truly visionary Western epic of survival and personal revenge. DiCaprio gives a committed performance and Hardy keeps pace with the renowned actor. "The Reverant" does have some fat to trim, as it occasionally meanders into dreamy/ethereal sequences that sap story momentum.
Score: 5/5
"The Revenant opens in limited cities Dec. 25 and in theaters nationwide Jan. 8. This film has a running time of 156 minutes and is rated R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity.
