The Revenant (English) Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating
Over the years actor Leonardo DiCaprio has entertained viewers with stellar performances, with recent ones being THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, THE GREAT GATSBY, and DJANGO UNCHAINED. This week, we see the release of the much talked about and highly anticipated film THE REVENANT starring Leo, for which he has also been nominated for the Oscars.
THE REVENANT is a historical action adventure film directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu is based on Michael Punke's novel with the same title, which is inspired by the experiences of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass. The story follows Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s, who fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left to die by John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a member of his own hunting team. Starting off viewers be forewarned that THE REVENANT which features a rather mundane plot line of being yet another revenge drama, is nothing like the testosterone filled action flick APOCALYPTO that released a few years back. Instead the film starts off like a dream, with segments of memories depicting an idyllic life, followed up with the camera panning over gurgling water in a flooded forest and the inevitable loss of life. This opening sequence more than sums up the film that tells the story of harsh circumstances in a rugged unforgiving landscape with breathtaking views, and of survival and death with shocking acts of human indiscretion and loss. Following this elaborate start THE REVENANT throws the viewers into the midst of battle with the trappers being attacked by the native Americans.
After the attack by the natives, Glass's party is trekking across woodland when he is viciously attacked by a grizzly bear. Though terribly wounded Glass being a respected leader of the party is stretchered up and hauled across the landscape. When the going gets tough, Glass is held to stay back with John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), along with his half-Pawnee son Hawk and friend Bridger (Will Poulter), till he dies in peace. However, Fitzgerald not to be trusted abandons Glass in a shallow grave. If this is not enough, John kills Glass' son in the process and takes off, thus setting up a classic revenge tale, with Glass determined to stay alive to exact his revenge despite the odds.
While the film features hardly any dialogues, but instead opting to draw the audience in with sweeping visuals and gruesome violence that evokes reactions, it does provide the actors ample room to display their acting proves. In this aspect, Leonardo and Hardy is the perfect duo to play the main characters around which the film revolves. With yet another stellar performance, Leonardo DiCaprio pulls off the role of a man on a mission fighting life and death to avenge the death of his son. Hardy who seems to get a chunk of the dialogues does equally well as the gritty, cut throat mercenary John Fitzgerald.
Though at some points the film does come across as being a bit slow, with dreamy sequences thrown in which allow the audience to develop an emotional connect with the central protagonist, THE REVENANT is certainly an experience. In fact coupled with the stunning visuals thanks to the great cinematography, the sound effects have been cleverly used to draw the viewer into the film putting him alongside the cast. Director Alejandro G. Inarritu, much like his earlier films BIRDMAN and BIUTIFUL manages to make a rather simple story into a virtual experience.
On the whole, keeping true to its name, THE REVENANT is a stunning visual experience with a brilliant performance by Leonardo DiCaprio. Though in India, the film may not have a mass appeal and will primarily charm the multiplex audiences in Metros.