The Revenant - directed by Alejandro Gonzalez by Inarritu
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Lukas Haas, Forrest Goodluck, Paul Anderson, Kristoffer Joner, Melaw Nakehk'o
Running Time: 156 minutes
Rated: R16 - Brutal, gory violence
Clearly there is something in the water in Mexico.
Directors from that country have been consistently producing amazing films of late.
Obviously Guillermo Del Toro but also of note are Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
All three have scored major Oscar successes over the last ten years starting with Del Toro's terrific "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006) and moving through to Cuaron's "Gravity" (2013) and last years Inarritu movie "Birdman".
All three are highly technical directors with some utterly amazing scenes to their credits- and entire films of course.
In Inarritu's case he may be on a back to back Oscar score with "The Revenant".
It is also interesting to note that the director of photography on this film is sitting on a hat trick.
Emmanuel Lubezki won the Oscar for cinematography the last two years for "Gravity" and for Inarritu's "Birdman".
I wouldn't bet against him.
The cinematography is incredible in this movie and it is far from the only aspect that is.
Set in 1823 Montana "The Revenant" is a simple tale of revenge.
A group of trappers at the end of an expedition that has resulted in a large haul of pelts are set upon by Pawnee seeking the kidnapped daughter of one of their number.
The survivors are lead towards home by scout Glass (DiCaprio) until he is viciously mauled by a bear.
Under pressure from the ice cold Fitzgerald (Hardy) they leave him to die under his and another man named Bridger's watch.
Glass' halfbreed son Hawk also remains to tend to his horrific wounds.
Promising to remain with Glass until he dies at which point they will bury him Fitzgerald instead jumps the gun, kills Hawk and partially buries Glass assuming that he will die anyway.
With a combination of lies and threats he tricks Bridger into going along with it.
So now we have a story consisting of three strands.
The Pawnee seeking the kidnapped woman, Fitzgerald and Bridger trying to make it home and Glass trying to survive his wounds and his surroundings in order to exact revenge on Fitzgerald.
A Revenant is a reanimated corpse seeking vengeance on the living and it is an apt name for this movie.
Glass's wounds are truly horrific.
The already notorious sequence in which the bear attacks is a stunning piece of work.
There are few cuts in it (if any) but the entire sequence is gruelling, brutal and completely believable.
ILM was called in to create a CGI bear for this sequence and their work is extraordinary even by their own normal high standards.
(Details regarding how the effects were done can be found here- LINK)
A jaw-dropping example of collaboration between director, cinematographer, effects team, stunt crew and actor this scene provides an early indication of the commitment from all involved in this project.
Glass does of course survive the attack and premature burial and for the next two hours plus we follow him as he takes on the worst that man and nature can throw at him.
If DiCaprio doesn't win and Oscar for this role (and the Academy's dire record of not rewarding him should end this year) serious consideration should be given to creating a new Oscar category - Commitment and Dedication - so that he can get one.
What he goes through on film and on set in the service of making this film so compelling is impressive to put it mildly.
He sleeps in an animal carcass, takes several swims in icy cold water, spends huge amounts of time in the snow- often undressed, there's that bear attack which while not a real bear still required him to be thrown around the forest floor repeatedly and much, much more.
With minimal dialogue he must convey much through more physical means and he has never been better.
Exhausting shoots may make for good press but they have to amount to something and in the case of "The Revenant" it was all for a good result.
Every performance is just right.
I was particularly impressed by Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson continues to go from strength to strength.
Gleeson is having a hell of a run lately- Star Wars, Ex Machina and now this.
Both Gleeson's and Poulter's characters have substantial screen time and they both add yet more superb work to their already great CV's.
Importantly the behaviour of every character from Glass to the Pawnee to the bear is completely justifiable.
The bear is merely protecting its cubs just as Glass was with Hawk.
Bridger does what he has to to survive and in fact could have made his life much easier if he had acted less honourably on occasions.
The Pawnee kill and 'steal' as a means to get their woman back.
The only character that does not follow this kind of survival with honour rule is Fitzgerald.
Again- a brave role for Tom Hardy.
It is hard to think of another acting today who is as willing to take on a despicable character without demanding moments of redemption.
I would hope that he too is rewarded with Oscar recognition.
Of course this marks a reunion of sorts for Hardy and DiCaprio after "Inception".
Note also that Lucas Haas from that movie also features in "The Revenant".
This is another hugely impressive piece of work from Inarritu that is a must see for anyone even remotely interested in technical filmmaking.
Or anyone interested in flat out great films for that matter.
DiCaprio should get his Oscar at last and I cannot see any way that Lubezki won't get his third.
The sheer will and determination to do whatever it takes to get the vision on screen is truly amazing and all involved should be rewarded - if not with awards then with box office sales.
There is a lot here that may prove too intense, too violent for many but for those with the stomach for it see this one on the biggest screen that you can - this is the very epitome of a big screen experience.
RATING: 85/ 100
CONCLUSION: A technical tour de force and a brutally entertaining movie. "The Grey" is a fine movie in a similar vein but compared to this it feels almost safe. Amazing.
Running Time: 156 minutes
Rated: R16 - Brutal, gory violence
Clearly there is something in the water in Mexico.
Directors from that country have been consistently producing amazing films of late.
Obviously Guillermo Del Toro but also of note are Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
All three have scored major Oscar successes over the last ten years starting with Del Toro's terrific "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006) and moving through to Cuaron's "Gravity" (2013) and last years Inarritu movie "Birdman".
All three are highly technical directors with some utterly amazing scenes to their credits- and entire films of course.
In Inarritu's case he may be on a back to back Oscar score with "The Revenant".
It is also interesting to note that the director of photography on this film is sitting on a hat trick.
Emmanuel Lubezki won the Oscar for cinematography the last two years for "Gravity" and for Inarritu's "Birdman".
I wouldn't bet against him.
The cinematography is incredible in this movie and it is far from the only aspect that is.
Set in 1823 Montana "The Revenant" is a simple tale of revenge.
A group of trappers at the end of an expedition that has resulted in a large haul of pelts are set upon by Pawnee seeking the kidnapped daughter of one of their number.
The survivors are lead towards home by scout Glass (DiCaprio) until he is viciously mauled by a bear.
Under pressure from the ice cold Fitzgerald (Hardy) they leave him to die under his and another man named Bridger's watch.
Glass' halfbreed son Hawk also remains to tend to his horrific wounds.
Promising to remain with Glass until he dies at which point they will bury him Fitzgerald instead jumps the gun, kills Hawk and partially buries Glass assuming that he will die anyway.
With a combination of lies and threats he tricks Bridger into going along with it.
So now we have a story consisting of three strands.
The Pawnee seeking the kidnapped woman, Fitzgerald and Bridger trying to make it home and Glass trying to survive his wounds and his surroundings in order to exact revenge on Fitzgerald.
 |
| Leonardo DiCaprio should finally get his Oscar |
Glass's wounds are truly horrific.
The already notorious sequence in which the bear attacks is a stunning piece of work.
There are few cuts in it (if any) but the entire sequence is gruelling, brutal and completely believable.
ILM was called in to create a CGI bear for this sequence and their work is extraordinary even by their own normal high standards.
(Details regarding how the effects were done can be found here- LINK)
A jaw-dropping example of collaboration between director, cinematographer, effects team, stunt crew and actor this scene provides an early indication of the commitment from all involved in this project.
Glass does of course survive the attack and premature burial and for the next two hours plus we follow him as he takes on the worst that man and nature can throw at him.
If DiCaprio doesn't win and Oscar for this role (and the Academy's dire record of not rewarding him should end this year) serious consideration should be given to creating a new Oscar category - Commitment and Dedication - so that he can get one.
What he goes through on film and on set in the service of making this film so compelling is impressive to put it mildly.
He sleeps in an animal carcass, takes several swims in icy cold water, spends huge amounts of time in the snow- often undressed, there's that bear attack which while not a real bear still required him to be thrown around the forest floor repeatedly and much, much more.
With minimal dialogue he must convey much through more physical means and he has never been better.
Exhausting shoots may make for good press but they have to amount to something and in the case of "The Revenant" it was all for a good result.
Every performance is just right.
I was particularly impressed by Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson continues to go from strength to strength.
Gleeson is having a hell of a run lately- Star Wars, Ex Machina and now this.
Both Gleeson's and Poulter's characters have substantial screen time and they both add yet more superb work to their already great CV's.
 |
| Tom Hardy as Fitzgerald |
The bear is merely protecting its cubs just as Glass was with Hawk.
Bridger does what he has to to survive and in fact could have made his life much easier if he had acted less honourably on occasions.
The Pawnee kill and 'steal' as a means to get their woman back.
The only character that does not follow this kind of survival with honour rule is Fitzgerald.
Again- a brave role for Tom Hardy.
It is hard to think of another acting today who is as willing to take on a despicable character without demanding moments of redemption.
I would hope that he too is rewarded with Oscar recognition.
Of course this marks a reunion of sorts for Hardy and DiCaprio after "Inception".
Note also that Lucas Haas from that movie also features in "The Revenant".
This is another hugely impressive piece of work from Inarritu that is a must see for anyone even remotely interested in technical filmmaking.
Or anyone interested in flat out great films for that matter.
DiCaprio should get his Oscar at last and I cannot see any way that Lubezki won't get his third.
The sheer will and determination to do whatever it takes to get the vision on screen is truly amazing and all involved should be rewarded - if not with awards then with box office sales.
There is a lot here that may prove too intense, too violent for many but for those with the stomach for it see this one on the biggest screen that you can - this is the very epitome of a big screen experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment