Alejandro Inarritu is no stranger to quality filmmaking. In fact, he holds the most recently-awarded Oscar in the directing category for Birdman. Mexican-born and with a film resume that is simply qualified for an international stage, his work on "Revenant" hands down puts him at the forefront of filmmakers today. What I felt was lacking in "Birdman" is made up tenfold with this story. Cinematically, the struggles to make such a picture are apparent. Emotionally, it left me raw.
Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a fur trader, working in the wild of an unnamed vista, a world on the brink of colonization. With his son, a Pawnee Native American, and a team of workers and soldiers, they trudge through the wilderness with constant threat of hostile attack. The opening scene, through a series of long, dreamlike shots, maneuvers through a barrage of arrows and bullets, gore and carnage, as the trappers are attacked by a band of local Arikara tribe. Perhaps 10 survive.
Fleeing via boat, the team is whittled down as they journey on foot towards potential salvation. The great "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" seems referenced a few times, and both stories diverge into more abstract ideas than you would initially believe.
The centerpiece of the film (I suppose one of many) is a bear attack as Glass is caught off-guard while stumbling onto a group of grizzly cubs in the wood. The scene is a continuous take, a marvel of computer imagery (I sincerely cannot believe that was not a physical bear) and choreography. It's not malicious, but simply a fight to keep Glass away. Through closeups and sound, the mauling of DiCaprio feels so genuine that that audience I saw it with screamed several times in unison. It's a masterful scene.
This leads to the main dymanic of Glass versus John Fitzgerald (the brilliant Tom Hardy). Fitzgerald is a common man, bound by money. Left with the care of Glass, he sees the wounded man as a mere casuality, and he secretly murders his son and attempts to bury Glass alive. It's nothing personal, simply a man taking shortcuts on a path to moral corruption. Another trapper, Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) witnesses the attempted murder. He knows it is wrong, but in the face of such evil, he has no choice but to become complacent.
We know DiCaprio does not die, and in fact the majority of the film shows his trek through the tundra and wild to return to civilization and meet Fitzgerald face-to-face.
The wonders of the film are known to us before even watching it. Shot with natural light, Emmanuel Lubezki (the Oscar-winner for Cinematography the past two years) created some of the most haunting imagery with only the sunlight spared. Shot in remote locations, Inarritu spent months of preparation in order to make the months-long shoot as smooth as possible. Going in, I knew the film was going to be a marvel. I didn't realize the sheer power it would have as a story in and of itself. Backstory aside, it's still a damned good movie.
And Leonardo DiCaprio... The internet is a buzz with his inevitable Oscar win. He deserves it, I must say. Through grunts and facial expression, DiCaprio plays Glass as a man in search of something he does not yet know. It's a revenge western in many respects, but as the story progresses, we see a certain resilience that make us question the man and his origins even more so. With a literal hole in his throat (you will be amazed at the level of detail in his bear wounds), he is left with a bare, raspy voice, a tone so soft that we barely hear. DiCaprio's role is that of a great physicality, and coupled with his work on "The Wolf of Wall Street," I can understand more so the power and talent of one of Hollywood's most iconic leading men.
Tom Hardy, my God. Is this really his first Oscar nomination? His presence on screen is absolutely palpable, and his is a character overflowing with charisma and evil. It's a villain we love to hate, want to see punished, miss when he is not in the scene. His scalp is scarred with deep wounds, and his hair grows unevenly. Like Glass, we only want to learn more about this Fitzgerald: where he comes from, what led him to murder...
By the time the film ended, I felt as though I was had just seen "2001" or "There Will Be Blood" for the first time all over again. There is an immense power to cinema when done right; an assembly of shots and music and sound that simply transcend the mere moviegoing experience. "The Revenant" is one such film. The best film yet made by Inarritu. On all levels this movie is a masterpiece of craft and talent. The score, haunting and rhythmic, leads the audience through a story filled with longing and terror. The violence, as graphic as I think I have ever seen in a movie, is justified and presented with a clear focus on realism. (You will remember my dislike of the sadistic tone of "The Hateful Eight," where violence was presented as merely a tool to entice a laugh. Here the violence is nearly on-par, yet given the context is comprehensible and justified.)
I marvel at the technical accomplishments, unmatched in the realm of today's cinema. I applaud the work of the actors and filmmakers who have crafted a story that I know will be discussed for years to come. "The Revenant" is a long, pacing, thrilling ride from start to finish. I simply witnessed a miracle with the price of a ticket.
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