The Revenant

Reviewed by Danny the Demented

Updated Feb 05 2016

JTHE REVENANT Official Trailer 2 (2015)

Don’t you just love it when, at the movies, you get to relax, forget about the stress from the everyday life, and be in somebody else’s shoes for just a brief moment? These tiny breathers the moving pictures provide can be such pick-me-ups. People go to the movies to escape from reality so they can continue to bear reality. Stress-relief is vital on this journey we call life.

So......yeah this movie does none of that. It’s like, super gruesome. I am like, so serious. If you are short on stress in your stock, look no further, this movie supplies plenty.

Inspired by a true story (amazingly), The Revenant is the new film by acclaimed director Alejandro Iñárritu. It tells the story of a badly injured hunter/scout Glass (Leo DiCaprio), finding strength and courage under extreme circumstances, to his road of revenge on those who left him for dead, betrayed vows and honour, namely Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). This is a tale of both survival and revenge. So yeah...some heavy shit.

This is of course by no means a bad movie. From a technical standpoint this was such an awe-inspiring film. The cinematography was nothing short of breathtaking. Every shot and frame of this film exudes the characters’ conviction, their beliefs, and the weight they bear. After viewing one can not help but to have a much deepened respect for this world, and to a deeper degree, life itself.

But as a movie goer, it is tough to explain the reason for this film's existence. It isn’t trying to raise awareness of any major issues (watch out for bears when you are in the woods perhaps?), it does not aim to entertain, and when it does impress, it does under such a heavy tone that’s borderline dreadful. Sure it was shot beautifully but it came with the weight of a thousand anchors. The dialogues were powerful but the supply of them were so scarce it’s almost a moot point.

AP/20th Century FOX

DeCaprio is as strong as ever. What he had to endure to portray Glass deserves a special kind of respect among actors. Tom Hardy is rolling right along as one of this generation’s best character actor. Domhnall Gleeson, who seems to be in everything these days (Ex-Machina, Force Awakens, The Revenant...), is also solid as the good-hearted captain of the group.

Alas, performance alone could not make this movie enjoyable, unlike what Meryl Streep did for The Iron Lady (2011). Watching this movie was like trying to enjoy a nap with 10 tons of bricks neatly placed on your chest. The film gives no breather, sheds no light, and provides no real redemption or growth in any of the characters. The best part of the film, other than it’s principal photography, was the dual between the bear and Glass. How did they shoot that scene? I do not know. Is it impressive? Absolutely. But the reality is, there’s no joy to be had watching a man being mauled to death by a mama Grizzly bear.

Movies like Requiem for a Dream (2000), Schindler’s List (1993), or even documentary like The Invisible War (2012) , are all very tough movies to sit through. And yet the viewing process was extremely positive. The difference, I suspect, is that all these movies had a point to make. They are disturbing for a reason, and you “enjoy” these movies, but would seldom choose to see it again if given the chance. The Revenant lacks that “point” behind all of its gruesomeness. It whips you but does not tell you why, and that can be very frustrating.

It is tough to label The Revenant as a bad movie, because it really was an experience viewing it. Impressive technically, but a good movie it is not. If your film does not differ much from that of an episode of National Geographic, then that’s probably a good indication that you are in desperate need for a proper writer. My name is Danny and I endorse this review.