Anything & Everything.: Film Review: The Revenant (2016).

Hello, everyone. Hope you're well. Sorry I haven't posted anything for a few weeks. I had four deadlines for one day for uni and it genuinely wiped me out and I wanted a break from being online. But I'm here now and I've got a film review for you all.

So, I've just been to see The Revenant and I enjoyed it alot more than I thought I would!

The Background

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, a hunting team are explore the wilderness of America when Hugh Glass, explorer and father, (Leonardo Dicaprio) is violently and horrifically attacked by a bear. Left dead by his team members and betrayed by his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), he must fight his way back through a brutal winter to live and get his revenge. It is an embellished version of apparent true events.

My Thoughts

Before I even got to the cinema, I'd read and heard different things about this film. The cast and crew went through a turbulent time filming it. The director, Alejandro, insisted that the film should be shot with natural light which only occurred during 90 minutes per day which obviously slowed the process down. But it was dramatic and stunning!

DiCaprio's character goes through ALOT, such things like; eating raw fish and bison liver, dodging bullets, being mauled by a bear, riding a horse over the edge of a cliff, sleeping in animal carcasses. DiCaprio really immersed himself within the role by doing the frozen river stunts himself and actually biting into bison liver (his real reaction is caught on camera and kept in the final cut). Although, he isn't the first actor to get into film roles like this (just look at Daniel-Day Lewis) but the finished project is absolutely unreal and you really admire DiCaprio's dedication and performance here.

But, apart from that, there isn't that much more to his character that you can connect with. He is a father in this film but it doesn't really complicate things as much as you'd think although the story is about revenge, life and family. His story is gripping from the beginning to the end but perhaps not entirely in the way, DiCaprio and the director wanted it to be. You're more interested in what painful thing is going to happen next to Glass rather than the actual reason why he's crawling across open plains in agony.

Tom Hardy as the strong-headed, opinionated Fitzgerald was intriguing too. He played him perfectly as always. He's one of my favourite actors and this film is just another reason why. However, I did struggle sometimes with the way Hardy spoke in a mumbly fashion and the accent he was using so I missed out half of what he was saying sometimes but overall he did a fantastic job. Even when his character is saying nothing, his eyes are doing the talking and they are saying a thousand words when he isn't.

The cinematography was visually stunning and took my breath away. Each step of the journey feels treacherous mixed in with the beautiful and terrifying nature of the harsh winter. The storms are scary to watch and Alva Noto's musical score accompanying it drive home the terror. Not only that, the bear scene that has everyone talking is just as horrifying and chilling as you'd expect. It is unreal how they filmed it because although they used a CGI bear, it is a scene that has you recoiling in your seat and terrified for Glass.

This film is terrifying, beautiful and amazing all in one. It is very graphic by the way so if you're sensitive to blood and gore etc., it isn't for you. DiCaprio and Hardy are both nominated for Oscars for this and they are truly deserved! If DiCaprio doesn't win for this genuine endurance test, then I don't know what it will take for him to win.

Here's the trailer