Hello dear readers!
Today, I decided to talk about a movie that I very much like, The Revenant, by Alejandro González Iñárritu starring the great Leonardo Di Caprio. In these strange times of confinement, I thought that watching a film that breathes outdoors and nature would do us good. Before its release in 2016, the film had already attracted a lot of attention, mostly because of the chaotic shooting.
But before we say any more, let's dwell on the story for a moment. Based upon a true story, the plot takes place In the deep and wild America of the 19th century. An explorer named Hugh Glass joins Captain Andrew Henry's team to serve as a guide for tracking animals. At that time, animal skins were the rising value in the Western market. During an expedition, a bear attacked Glass, but he miraculously manages to survive. Trapped in this hell of ice, Captain Henry cannot afford to sacrifice his men for the price of one. He hires two mercenaries to watch over Glass and to bury him properly. Unfortunately, the two mercenaries eventually flee, leaving him dying and alone. Driven by a desire to take revenge on those who abandoned him, Glass will survive and hunt them down relentlessly.
Now that we know a little more about the story, what more can we say about this movie?
Well, first of all, its filmmaking is extremely meticulous. And for a good reason: the brilliant director of Birdman offers us here a film entirely shot in natural settings. Yes, you heard me right, not a single scene shot in a studio! At a time when most films flood us with greenscreens and special effects, Inarritu and his team manage the feat of accumulating complex sequence shots in the wildest nature.
Let's not forget to pay tribute to the Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki, who chose to use only natural light for his shots. The result is then exceptional, 2h30 of stunningly realistic scenes and splendid lights.
On the casting side, we discover a di Caprio in the greatest role of his life, the only one that earned him an Oscar. He fils the screen with his presence. Special mention also to Tom Hardy, unrecognizable in this film.
Even though I love this film and it is objectively very well directed, it is not free of flaws. First of all, for a film that wants to be as realistic as possible, some 3D inlays (especially those of animals) are not the best executed. Besides, the film is above all a kind of revenge movie, so the story is not the most original. And even if in some scenes we see the beginning of a deeper message, it only remains on the surface. To me, it would have deserved greater importance.
Despite these few flaws, I can only advise you to immerse yourself in this great film. The director aims to impress, and God, this film is impressive!
It is breathtaking, extremely well-acted, and incredibly beautiful. I have sometimes blamed cinema for having lost its will to transform reality. The Revenant is a film that hasn't given up that value and for that, I can only recommend it to you!
Where can I watch the movie?
To watch this movie from home, here is a non-exhaustive list of legal streaming links: