Come for the bear, stay for the visuals.
Hugh Glass, an 1820’s frontiersman is tasked with leading a fur trapping unit across the snowy, uncharted, North American mountains where he is attacked by a bear (your favorite part), betrayed and left for dead. As he attempts to persevere, there is only one thing fueling his survival … Revenge.
If you know what “depth of field” means, then chances are you love breathtaking imagery, impossible angles and remarkable lighting and chances are you will be blown away by the cinematography in this film. The Revenant is by far one of the most gorgeous films that has ever graced the silver screen. For all you film buffs out there that agree with critics stating that Citizen Kane has the best cinematography ever, watch this movie, then email me your thoughts. Seriously. I want to know what you think.
Whether you know all there is to know about cinematography or you don’t know anything at all, the cinematography still stands out from the rest of the film. With the many breathtaking shots that you can expect from shooting in nature matched with Alejandro G. Inarritu’s patented style of surreal long takes, you find yourself puzzled at how they managed to pull these shots off all the while in awe of the beauty of it.
The cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, has a knack for making the viewer feel exactly what the characters are feeling in the film. He has been showing this skill for years, since his first Academy nomination with A Little Princess. In the Revenant, the camera seemingly moves as if it was a part of the movie making itself a character. Each brutal bite, blow, kick and claw rips away at the viewer giving them the semblance of the Phantom Pain effect. It’s remarkable and it’s all done through the cinematography.
But here is one of those strange instances where somethings greatest strength is also its greatest weakness (Shout out to The Architect from The Matrix Reloaded). Though charmingly gorgeous, the cinematography also acts as a huge distraction for the story and the characters. You become so vexed by the imagery that you completely forget that Glass needs to get his revenge and quite frankly, you stop caring. There are even shots were the lens of the camera fogs up from the breath of Di Caprio which snatches “Suspension of Disbelief” out from under you.
There is only so much entertainment an individual can get from a “Man V.S. Nature” theme which is the majority of the film. The “Man V.S. Man” themes are the best parts which are dropped and picked up throughout the film like a “side bae”.
The acting was vapid, although Tom Hardy’s performance stood out and definitely stole the show. With his arcane presence and low mumbling, spot on Frontiersman voice, he easily becomes a favorite despite his evil sensibilities. Di Caprio’s performance was good but if you’re looking to watch Di Caprio be Di Caprio then you’re in a for a treat but if you any other expectation prepare to not be amazed.
Overall, The Revenant may not be the most exciting film of 2015, but I promise you it is one of the most beautiful. If you want to be visually swept away than this is the film for you. But if you are looking for tantalizing characters and story depth then this is still the film for you because it is so freaking pretty.