By Jackson Weaver
Staff Writer
In an uncharted expedition of the American wilderness, Hugh Glass, an American navigator and pelt hunter, must overcome abandonment from his group and survive the treacheries of the wilderness alone as he manifests further westward.
“The Revenant”, directed by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, impresses with a display of immersive and pristine cinematography. Strong acting from Leonardo DiCaprio ties the film together producing a vivid and flowing storyline depicting the dangers of the forests in the Midwest.
The film takes place in Missouri, when Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is mauled by a bear, and is left with serious injuries to his neck and back. John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and Glass’s half-Pawnee son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), are promised a total of $300 to stay put with Glass as he was slowing the group down. With everyone gone, Fitzgerald stabs Hawk in front of the motionless Glass and then tricks Bridger into abandoning Glass leaving him to die.
After witnessing his own son’s murder, Glass is stranded and forced to survive the wilderness while being constantly hunted by a group of relentless Pawnee Native Americans. His new motivation to recover and survive his unthinkable injuries is to get revenge on Fitzgerald and avenge his fallen son.
Thanks to the cinematography by Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki, “The Revenant” places a great emphasis on the beauty of nature. Taking place almost completely outdoors, the clarity of the Missouri River is so noticeable because Lubezki shoots the rippling effect of the water flowing downstream.
In addition, the lack of a soundtrack or musical note to the film actually enhances its quality. Instead of loud music distracting from the main purpose of the film, Lubezki and director Alejandro Inarritu allow the effects of nature to take over. The film makes exquisite use of the silence and the audience is able to hear the clumps of snow falling or the cracking of ice which typically is drowned out by music.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s strong acting and commitment to his role inspired other smaller roles to emulate his same commitment to the script. After witnessing the murder of his son, Glass finds the strength to crawl his way over to his son’s dead corpse. DiCaprio illustrates his deep sorrow and anguish for his son’s death and lays next to him as he freezes in the snow.
Hawk, the half Pawnee son of Glass, is played by Forrest Goodluck who complements Leonardo DiCaprio’s role well with his aggressive attitude. Hawk, throughout the beginning of the film, is heavily criticized by the predominant white male group for his skin color. Many times, Hawk lashes out in frustration because of his bad temper, but Glass calms him down and always reminds him to pick his fights wisely.
The plot is very straightforward and can be easily be followed by the audience. In some films based on historical facts, directors try too hard to piece together a story that will entertain and this can prove confusing. However, “The Revenant” has appealing themes such as survival and abandonment proving that it is possible to overcome the greatest obstacles.
“The Revenant” shows the survival and strong will of one man in an effort to avenge his son’s death. The film’s magnificent in cinematography creates new bounds for films to come with extraordinary depictions of the Missouri wilderness during the winter. Despite the fact, DiCaprio is a man of little word, the intensity and commitment to his role fully display his excellent acting ability.
“The Revenant” is rated R and is now playing in theaters nationwide.
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