2015 | Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu | 156 Minutes
"I ain't afraid to die anymore. I'd done it already."
In 1823, while on the run from hostile natives, fur trapping expedition navigator Hugh Glass is mauled by a grizzly bear. Believing Glass to be on the brink of death, Glass' half-native son Hawk, and trappers John Fitzgerald and Jim Bridger volunteer to stay behind to tend to Glass. Harboring a grudge against Hawk and Glass, Fitzgerald murders Hawk and tricks Bridger into leaving Glass for dead. Miraculously, Glass survives and crawls across the wilderness to seek vengeance. Meanwhile, the native tribe search for their chief’s missing daughter, believed to be captured by white men.
The Revenant is visually stunning and unflinchingly treacherous. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's deliberate exclusive use of natural light accentuates the beauty and the brutality of the wilderness. The film features breathtaking action sequences shot in extended takes, most notably in the film's opening moments, the grizzly bear attack, a chase sequence before the final act, and the climatic confrontation between Glass and Fitzgerald. Iñárritu also brings an ethereal quality to Glass' dream sequences and flashbacks.
Even discounting the physical challenge required of the role, Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as Glass is nuanced and absolutely captivating, fully immersed in the loss and desperation suffered by the character. Tom Hardy also does some of his best work in this film as Glass' pragmatic foil and adversary Fitzgerald, particularly imposing in scenes shared with Will Poulter's Bridger. Domhnall Gleeson appears in a supporting role as Andrew Henry and Forrest Goodluck matches DiCaprio's intensity as Glass' son Hawk.
Although its narrative is rudimentary and thematically ordinary, The Revenant is an undeniable cinematic achievement, presenting the American frontier with impeccable visual fidelity.
FRAGMENTS
- Tom Hardy appears in two nominees for Best Picture in 2015, this film and Mad Max: Fury Road
- In 2015, Domhnall Gleeson appeared in numerous critically-acclaimed and financially successful films including this film, Ex Machina, Brooklyn, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock and Venom in Spider-Man: No Way Home)
- Will Poulter (Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
