Betrayal, Revenant, Revenge

As of this past week, I have officially finished viewing all of last years Oscar Best Picture nominees. The sole one that slipped through my grasp prior to the Academy Awards was Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s epic The Revenant.

Snagging Best Achievement in Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Best Director (for Iñárritu), the filmmaker transports us to the year 1823, placing us in the heart of the wilderness – more specifically, a piece of pre-government structured territory in the United States located close to the Dakotas.

Our protagonist is guide Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), who is in charge of leading a group of fur trappers through the frigid, inhospitable western wilds. Though he and his half-aboriginal son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) know the land extremely well, they still fall under the command of youthful Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson).

As the father and son are out hunting in the woods, their company is attacked by a group of Arikara (a travelling war party of Natives). It is a visceral scene that places the viewer in the immediate danger of being surrounded by a marauding gang of armed unknowns. Bloody, vicious, dirty and messy, it captures the dangers of life in nineteenth century North American nature. A lucky few escape to their boat and flee along the river – though Glass quickly recommends that they disembark as the ship will be easily tracked and attacked.

After hiding the pelts, they set out for the safety of Fort Kiowa, an outpost that rests a long ways away. As Glass scouts up ahead, he unluckily finds himself between a mother bear and her cubs. The protective animal mauls the man, leaving him for dead (the guide is smart enough to stay still until he can plan a course of attack against the bear).

Egregiously wounded, the trappers don’t know what to do with their guide. A mercy killing is suggested, though Captain Henry cannot pull the trigger. Offering money in exchange for staying with Glass until he passes away (and then burying him), only his son and the kind but slightly dim-witted Bridger (Will Poulter) are willing to sit by his side. Finally, the confrontational and rough-around-the-edges John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) also grudgingly agrees to remain – if only to recuperate the lost funds of leaving the pelts behind.

It does not take long for the disgruntled Fitzgerald to get fidgety as they lay stranded, caring for the nearly deceased man, while, at any point, the Arikara could attack them where they sit – stranded in the middle of a forest in Native territory. Using the oldest and most vile trick in the book, Fitzgerald asks Glass (who is, at this point, without speech) to not blink if he does not want to be put out of his misery. The injured man puts up quite the effort, but eventually succumbs to the natural reflex. As Fitzgerald is doing the deed, Glass’s son arrives on the scene – though he too feels the wrath of the beast-like man. Killing the boy before Bridger returns, Fitzgerald claims to have spotted a hunting party of Natives just off in the distance. They leave the guide, fleeing the secluded locale.

It is this horrific act that spurs the seriously wounded Glass to muster some strength, finding some energy deep inside to propel him to track the heinous man – making for an epic tale of personal revenge. The title ‘revenant’ is an apt word to describe the man’s situation, as it refers to someone who has returned (supposedly) from the dead. Will Glass be able to make the perilous trek to find the murderer, or will he fail in his quest to avenge his son?

The Revenant is interesting, as it flips the script, placing the usual final massive action set piece at the beginning, while the character development and more personal revenge plot evolves a good ways into the film. Though there is never another skirmish quite like the one at the beginning of the motion picture, Iñárritu injects the avenge-filled plot with striking vistas of the Alberta (Canada), Argentine and American wilds that are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, as well as frighteningly dangerous in its frosty secludedness. Lit only with natural light, Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki place us in the elements with the actors, making it feel utterly real (and sometimes shockingly dark).

DiCaprio is put through the ringer in this one, eating raw fish and meat, swimming through the icy winter waters, as well as so many other things. Much like Gladiator, there is a back story with his wife, adding some depth to the guide’s history. It is a solid performance with a lot of meat on the bone for DiCaprio to bite into. Adding as much zest is the opposing bookend that is Tom Hardy. He gives his nefarious character a grizzly persona, both gruff bushman as well as chickenhearted survivalist who will do anything (including kill another human being) to stay one step ahead of a possible incoming threat. He is placed with the gullible Bridger, who is played expertly by Will Poulter. His wide eyes are perfect for the part of the kind junior trapper who is not the brightest of individuals. Domhnall Gleeson continues his impressive stretch of quality films with this one, this time capturing a leader who is forced to make a tough decision regarding Glass following the bear attack.

The Revenant is an impressive motion picture. Its visual aesthetic, secluded settings, natural lighting and impressive costumes all come together to create a realistic portrayal of early nineteenth century life as a trapper (though this one is only loosely based on true events). It is visual story telling at its visceral best. So, don’t get trapped into seeing the same old movie; I can guarantee that you won’t want to pelt me after watching this savage offering.