Review of The Revenant (2015) by Mikethejust — 30 Jan 2016

An absolute masterpiece. I admit some bias in my rating because I love wilderness survival, and this film's era greatly appeals to me.

Anyway, I'll start with what I believed was the best element of the movie: the cinematography. The natural lighting creates the perfect atmosphere for this movie. From the orange glow of torches in the dead of night, to the beautiful light of the rising sun on the rocks in the final battle, every scene is stunning. The use of gory, uncensored practical effects were very realistic, and the CGI held it's own with motion and appearance.

The story started of with fast-paced action but then led to a tense quest for revenge leaving me at the edge of my seat at some of the most thrilling encounters. It's a story of suffering, survival, and bloodthirsty revenge. The villain, Fitzgerald, plays a unique role in which, unlike the typical bad-guy, isn't necessarily evil. He is just a selfish man concerned mainly with his own self preservation. Hugh Glass, the protagonist, borders on godliness with ridiculous, yet not completely unscaving, feats such as riding a horse off of a cliff into a fur tree. The drive for revenge in Glass pushes him throughout his journey into intense action balanced by calm points of travel. I've heard some complain about the movie being slow, but I believe some of the slower scenes really help to calm down from the heart-pounding intensity.

Overall this movie, even if one doesn't care for it's genre, is a beauty to see, especially in theaters. The acting was solid, and the dialogue, while minimalist, suited the environment of bitter, unfriendly cold. I don't often give movies a perfect score (this is the first movie review on this account though), but the thrills, beauty, and brutality of this movie combine to create the most epic frontiers movie ever. Then again, I may just be overly obsessed with survival and the outdoors, so take this amateur review with a grain of salt.