This is the first movie I have watched in theaters for 2016. I know that it is a 2015 movie, but since it was released towards the end of the year, it technically falls under the 2016 movie register for me.
SPOILER ALERT: Though I may not be writing out the movie for you, there are some plot points that I will mention that you may not want to know about. If you have not seen the movie I am about to review, either stop reading now or proceed with caution, knowing that some sub-plots will be discussed.
The Revenant for me was awe-inspiring. All I could say after seeing it was that it was an art film. Some may think I am strange for stating this, but once it is seen, it's hard not to notice how much work was put into it. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the main character, the story follows the journey frontiersman Hugh Glass must face after being mauled by a grizzly bear and left for dead in a partially-dug grave. The only thing that is pushing him forward throughout his journey is to seek his son's murderer and get his revenge. Interestingly, Glass's story is not the only one seen in the movie. The viewer, of course, follows Glass's journey (and sees his memories), but also follows the journeys of the group of tradesmen that he worked with, the man that left him for dead (Tom Hardy's character), a Pawnee who lost his tribe, and search party of revengeful Ree*. Though all different sub-plots, the stories all tie in together perfectly to show the difficulties of how to survive in the dead of winter in the wilderness - with or without a weapon - and the struggles one faced during the 1830s after the Louisiana Purchase.
When watching the film, I was mesmerized by the imagery; the nature scenes are deeply rooted within this film. Think of a nature documentary's scenic views, and you will understand why I was awed by its beauty. But that's only part of what made this movie a piece of art. It was raw, in my opinion. The splatters of blood and water and snow and the fog from the actors' exhalations on the camera were used to express intensity in the fight scenes and lead into memory or vision scenes. There was not much dialect with DiCaprio's scenes - though there was a good reason for that, of course - and it wasn't needed. A good example for this was the snowflake-catching scene between Glass and the (last) Pawnee; no words were needed to understand this scene.
Conflicts were also deeply rooted with the film, specifically Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Man, and Man vs. Self. Throughout the film, the viewer sees the struggle the frontiersmen face in order to make a living in the wild, including fighting off dangerous animals, fighting (or fleeing) from attackers, and the struggle to survive through winter storms. Glass is certainly the center of most of the stories and faces the most, but he also faces the journey to find himself now that all he had is gone.
The final thing that made me think of this film as an art piece was sound; that's one of the things relied on throughout the movie. Like Glass, the viewer must only rely on what he has to survive: the sounds around him and his instincts. The film makes the viewer feel what the character feels. The only time I have felt this is when I am reading a book or I am looking at a piece of art (be it a painting, sculpture, or a photograph). How this film was not shown at the Cannes Festival baffles me.
So, if you stayed and read through the review, you can probably tell that I liked this movie. It is very deep, and makes the viewer strongly emotional and somehow connected to the film. It leaves the viewer thinking, and is hard to erase from the memory. First movie of the year for me gets a five out of five and ten out of ten review from me. Hope you enjoyed the read. Until next time, keep watching, reading, and whatever else that you enjoy.
*Ree are a tribe of Native Americans from North Dakota.
