The Harsh Beauty of THE REVENANT

The Revenant is a visually powerful work about survival and revenge; it also features an impressive performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as trapper Hugh Glass who in the 1800’s in the Midwest, was badly mauled by a bear and left for dead by fellow trappers (done previously as Man in the Wilderness with Richard Harris).  The primeval beauty and vastness of the American wilderness forms an overwhelming backdrop to a brutal, realistic depiction of one man’s impossible struggle in dragging his broken body across miles of rugged terrain amid the danger of Indians and French trappers while staving off starvation and the harsh elements.  Fueled by hunting down those responsible for his plight and the murder of his native son, Glass is singularly driven beyond the limits of endurance.  The cinematography is outstanding (Emmanuel Lubezki is gunning for his third consecutive Oscar).  DiCaprio, in a tortuous, demanding role, shines and is given a worthy adversary in Tom Hardy, (the ultimate chameleon of actors). This is a demanding film that should be experienced on the big screen, and when you finally reach the ending, you’ll be grateful for having survived it.