Review of The Revenant (2015) by Foxgrove — 20 Jan 2016

Leonardo DiCaprio suffers with grim determination in this long and brutal story of betrayal, survival and revenge. However, this very physically demanding performance does not wow as it should. The almost total lack of dialogue for the character results in viewer alienation and a lack of empathy.

One watches the horrific events unfold, but with a dispassionate detachment and some distaste. Director Alejandro G Inarritu creates a wonderful atmosphere environmentally. The locations, beautiful but forbidding, are awesomely captured by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki whose work here is just stunning.

The film is worth seeing for his achievement alone. Also many scenes have a visceral quality to them, none more so than the Indian and bear attacks which both happen within the first half an hour and are excitingly and shockingly staged.

Visual effects for the bear are incredibly good. After this events meander from one bloody scene to the next leaving one somewhat anaesthetised to the grisliness of it all. Suspension of disbelief is also a requirement in accepting just how quickly DiCaprio is back on his feet after his mauling by the bear, let alone scaling mountains (one sequence shows him at the top of a mountain unable to walk; the next scene shows him drinking from the lake below!).

In support, Tom Hardy also disappoints, but this is once again mainly due to a vocalisation of his character that is often unintelligible. As we all know DiCaprio will win his long overdue Oscar here, and there is no denying that he is a deserving recipient.

It’s just a shame that he will be rewarded, as happens all too often by the conventional and short sighted Academy, for this performance over one of his previous more deserving roles.