Given that the Oscars are only a couple of weeks away, I've started looking at the Best Picture nominees. The amazing success of Birdman last year made me think to start with The Revenant and if one thing is certain, it's that Alejandro González Iñárritu is making a very big name for himself. Nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, one of the most prominent questions surrounding this year's ceremony is whether or not this will be the year that Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins that ever elusive Oscar.
Undeniably his performance is outstanding. He plays the role of Hugh Glass, a pioneer of the American West, and the film follows his struggle for survival after being viciously mauled by a grizzly bear and left for dead by his comrades (one of whom is played by Tom Hardy). Much of the film centres around DiCaprio's character trudging (or crawling) alone through the inhospitable wilderness, and therefore much of the film relies on how convincing he is in the role. He doesn't disappoint. He plays Glass with a grim determination, and although it sometimes errs on the side of melodrama, it never slips over the threshold of cringe worthy. The film as a whole has an extremely intense atmosphere, and on the whole a bit of melodrama just adds to that intensity.
As does the incredible amount of violence. The opening hook of The Revenant is a battle scene, and there are people being shot and stabbed all over the place. And then there's the all important scene where Glass is attacked by a bear. During these scenes, the action tends to be filmed using close ups, especially in the latter. This sometimes makes it feel as though the character's suffering is the main focus, which is quite shocking. However, given that this is essentially a film about survival in those kind of conditions, I think that shocking us is actually rather effective in showing how gruelling and traumatising that experience would be. The bear scene is especially violent and shocking, despite that all bear rape rumours are completely false. It does feel as though the scene goes on for a little too long, though, which slightly detracts from what would otherwise be an extremely powerful moment in the film.
The Revenant is a compelling, gritty drama; well directed and well acted. A highlight of DiCaprio's career, and definitely worth seeing.
