The Revenant (Cesar)

The American frontier; a once unexplored terrain full of hardship and peril. Many a brave man journeyed those great plains in search of food, home, and manifest destiny. As such, the exploits of these men have been passed on through the generations; one such story being that of Hugh Glass, who was left for dead by his companions after being on the receiving end of a mauling from a grizzly bear. His tale of subsequent survival has gone down in American legend. This is evident in Academy Award winning Alejandro González Iñárritu's Best Picture-nominated film, The Revenant.

Based on Glass' throes in the American midwest, The Revenant tells much of the same story that has been passed down over the previous 200 years, with a few liberties. Glass - played by Leonardo DiCaprio (who earned an Academy Award for his leading role in the film) - still suffers a vicious bear attack; however, he now has a Native American son named Hawk (played by the fledgling Forrest Goodluck), who is constantly the target of the antagonizing John Fitzgerald (portrayed by Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy).

Much of the film involves Glass' adventures throughout the snowy tundra that is the American midwest; although to liken his rise from the dead to mere adventures is a disservice to the absolute directing masterclass that Iñárritu puts on in this film. Every shot is carefully placed to make the journey to safety seem more and more impossible. This is showcased best in the brilliant - and now internet famous - bear encounter scene, which is all shot in one take.

DiCaprio absolutely shines in his role as Hugh Glass, arguably punching in his best performance to date; a feat even more impressive given his limited amount of speaking lines in the film. Instead of his usual charismatic and braggadocios personas (The Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, Catch Me if You Can, etc), DiCaprio uses body language and facial expressions to convey a sense of determination and desperation towards the viewer - it's easy to why this was the movie the Academy finally recognized him for, even if a little overdue. Not to be out-shined - however - is Tom Hardy, who manages to compel the viewer to feel such disgust and animosity towards his character, John Fitzgerald, that one might find themselves almost disliking Hardy himself; one who is known to play a memorable villain (e.g. Bane in The Dark Knight Rises), it is evident why he was nominated for his efforts.

Overall, The Revenant is an incredible motion picture. It blends phenomenal acting, exceptional directing, and cinematography with American urban legend to create a dramatic tale of heartbreak, determination, and revenge. Certainly one of the best films of the year, it does not disappoint; even with its at times slow 156 minute runtime, the film's fantastic visuals as well as arguably the best ever performance from potentially the greatest actor of his generation more than make up for it. It is one well worth seeing.