The Revenant

So, you know, I really started this blog by reviewing a movie that starred Leonardo DiCaprio, with which he was nominated for an Oscar. He lost that Oscar. I still don't understand why he didn't win for his spectacular performance as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, but I guess the academy has a wicked way of choosing its winners. The sticky note at the top of the rules reads, "Never give it to DiCaprio," or something like that. But, here we are about a year later since I began my reviews, reviewing another DiCaprio movie, that has him nominated for an Oscar, and I strongly believe that this is the movie to do it.

The Revenant is a 2015 western drama film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Alejandro Inarritu. It's a film that has been talked about often in the months counting down 2015, supposedly for its story, the shocking visuals to come, and all sorts of other factors...the main ones being how DiCaprio would do in this one, and if it would finally get his coveted Oscar. It is a very tragic story. Some of the things that happens in this movie are absolutely frightening and downright painful to watch. 

The story follows a fur trapper in the early 1800s named Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), who's pretty much the man who knows his way around the midwestern plains. He's traveling along with a small army to get the furs and pelts to sell to various buyers, all while fending off the Native Americans and French armies. One day, he's mauled by a bear to near death. The army finds him and attempts to take him back to their fort a few dozen miles away. However, this proves to be a task too difficult for the entire army, so they leave the maimed, but still alive, Glass with Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a man who severely dislikes him because of his half-white, half-native American son. Fitzgerald ends up ditching Glass down the road and kills his son in the process, which leaves Glass abandoned, and angered. Glass goes on to find Fitzgerald for the remainder of the film, desperately seeking revenge.

The Revenant is one of those movies that feels so classic, yet you know it's a modern masterpiece. I recently witnessed people talking about whether or not westerns can survive in the modern cinema world. I really think this movie proves that they can. While it's not a traditional western, I could see a movie like this starring John Wayne or some other classic western star being made in the 1960s, and yet, it still feels so right today. I think that's what makes this movie so good. It's really a timeless piece of a (mostly) nonfiction revenge story. No frills, not trying to be anything else.

Away from the plot, there's also very many other elements that do this film so well. Leonardo DiCaprio gives yet another amazing performance as Hugh Glass, in fact, I'll go so far as to say that this is probably the best performance I've ever seen out of him. The lengths he went to to prepare for this role, the way he plays the character, everything is just so...right. It's just terrifically on point, and it really is the gem of this move. Tom Hardy also does a great job as the spiteful Fitzgerald, and it shows how great Hardy really is, showing how easy it seems for him to transfer from playing a mad post-apocalyptic warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road, to this crazy-ass redneck type. Other high points are the score of the film, as well as the pristine direction by Inarittu. Wide takes and beautiful setting shots abound, you could mute this movie and still be entertained.

Where the movie falls short is really its run time. While some people could state that it adds to the movie, it just feels like the ending drags out for just way too long. I could count how many fake outs that happened where I believed the ending was near, but no, it just wasn't the case. However, these are issues that really don't hamper how great this movie really is.

So, it's brutal, it makes you cold, and it makes you hate. It may be a bit long, but otherwise than that, The Revenant is an Oscar-Worthy movie through and through, and it gets 4 out of 5 stars. I'll be getting together some pitchforks and torches to use against the Academy if DiCaprio doesn't win, if anyone wants to join.