Tarantino’s most-celebrated blood-porn
and Terrence Malick’s spiritual and emotionally enriching visual-narratives
have found a beefy believer in Alejandro G Inarittu’s latest revenge drama THE
REVENANT. Though this is not the first time Terrence Malick has shared his
confidante behind the lenses Emmanuel Lubezki with Inarittu, [Lubezki has
already won an Oscar for the latter in BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF
IGNORANCE)] but this time the plot itself, an expected yet absorbing one,
allows him to bring into play his trademark masterstrokes on the moving picture
canvas. The same also encourages the film to be as wintery, gory and gruesomely
beautiful as Tarantino’s last THE HATEFUL EIGHT; in fact, in a more riveting
and gut-wrenching outfit.
Set in 1823, the story tracks down a
group of trackers in fur trading business being attacked by some Native Americans
while returning to their homes. The most-experienced Hugh Glass [Leonardo
DiCaprio] is leading the fleeing troop till he himself gets badly hurt in a terrible
bear attack. Considering his hopeless physical condition, the troop decides to
leave him and his son behind with a couple of members to accompany them.
Abandoned by his own team, Glass is forced to survive through many physical challenges
of extreme nature and intense mental trauma to deal with. A strong desire
seeking revenge keeps him going even when going gets tougher.
THE REVENANT doesn’t overwhelm you
with its crude, simplistic and naïve American legend as the basic plot but undoubtedly
excels as a gritty documentation of a survivor’s story. The glory belongs to a
taut screenplay that never offers you a dull moment. The severity and intensity
of physical assaults on Glass are such brutal that you never expect him to breathe
life again but the way Inarittu crafts and constructs the rise of the fallen is
tremendously absorbing. Inarittu orchestrates scenes like an extended opera;
they decline to cut the shots in between and go on and on with a continuous thrust
scenes demand. The precise scene where Glass is seen attacked by a grizzly bear
is one of the most gratifying part in the film, not only as a visual fascination
for the viewers but also as a textbook example in VFX advancement. There is
never an iota of disbelief in what you see and hear huffing, roaring, grunting and
purring on screen.
Setting frozen rivers, frosted trees
and widespread snowfields as the film’s scenic canvas, Inarittu alongside
Emmanuel Lubezki ensures you’re taken to the same territory with no hesitation,
no apprehension and with all the certainty to experience the events to its
maximum but it is only the second best asset THE REVENANT owns. The top one on
the chart is DiCaprio’s categorical, precise and career-best performance as
Hugh Glass. Watching him sinking deep in the character that needed extreme physical
participation (He crawls, creeps and slithers in most of the reels), intense
acting skills (He hardly mouths verbal expressions) and a seasoned expertise in
evoking transferable pain from his haunting past is an ecstasy. You don’t need
to be a fan to recognize and recommend his talent for the Oscars’ pride. Tom
Hardy as his counterpart Fitzgerald- a mean, sly and egotistical teammate
provides a great support.
To conclude, THE REVENANT is a gritty,
gutsy and grave revenge drama that is not for the faint-hearted. After all,
when was the last time you saw someone clearing out the insides of a dead horse
to make it a potential shelter in a bone-freezing sleet or someone chewing
blood-soaked raw meat from a freshly slaughtered Bison? MAN Vs WILD lovers can
come up with many such stories but this is some rare cinematic experience! Go
for it, you might end up watching an Oscar wining performance! [4/5]
