The Revenant Gets Critical Acclaim

EMOTIONALLY STRIKING FILM STARS DICAPRIO

With award season for cinema quickly approaching, the film The Revenant made an enormous impact on the big screen right before 2015 came to an end. The film did not disappoint, and there is no mystery as to why the film is up for 12 Oscar nominations.

The Revenant stars Leonardo DiCaprio with supporting roles played by actors Tom Hardy (Lawless) and Will Poulter (We’re the Millers).

The movie takes place in the 1800s during the height of the fur trade in the American South and Midwest regions. When a clan of fur trappers is attacked by Native Americans, many of the trappers die, leaving behind few survivors. Left for dead in a brutal winter is Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), who uses his strength and sheer willpower to stay alive and find the fellow members who left him for dead. Glass hunts down Fitzgerald (Hardy) in order to seek revenge.

Throughout the movie, several plot twists jerk the viewer around to create an unexpected outcome at each turn. The film is based on true events which create more of a vivid understanding of the historical period.

The film is directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who is no amateaur when it comes to filmmaking. The Mexican national has directed several films, including the Oscar Awardwinning Babel and 2014’s Birdman. Inarritu has an eye for breathtaking visuals that come to life in his work. The Revenant is an example of his beautiful work coming to life. He uses the movie to take strong artistic stances in both cinematography and dialogue.

The film is so ferocious and intense that it makes for a ravenous watch. The viewer is consumed by the storyline and visuals that it seems as if one is actually there alongside Glass, fighting off bears, Native Americans, and nearly freezing to death.

In terms of performance, DiCaprio and Hardy both have reached the film equivalent of Nirvana: they’ve reached the height of their acting potential. Both have transcended and transformed into characters that cannot be matched by any other film in theaters, let alone history.

The performances were incredibly raw and gory. It was a breath of fresh air in terms of films to date. DiCaprio and Hardy took on the roles of incredibly barbarous alpha males, duking it out until the end, which demonstrates that they are truly talented actors.

Whether one is a cinematic buff or just looking for a movie to see on a day off, The Revenant doesn’t disappoint any audience. The plot grips onto the viewer from the opening scene and holds everyone’s attention until the ending credits. Not only is the acting superb, but one gets a taste of American life before it was transformed into a map dotted with booming metropolis. The cinematography quenches the audience’s thirst for visually satisfying films. The Revenant, making is a supreme choice for Best Picture award

—Ashley Bauler

photo courtesy indiewire.com