Title: The Revenant
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Alejandro G. Innaritu
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson
Runtime: 2 hrs 36 mins

What It Is: When on an expedition with some fur trappers frontiersman Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is helping this group. He knows these lands better than anyone, so he has been designated as the guide. When Glass gets ahead of the group following a flee from Native Americans attacking he is assaulted by a bear. When Captain Andrew Henry, his commanding officer, orders they continue up the hill they do until it becomes cumbersome doing so while carrying the injured Glass. He is left in the care of John Fitzgerald (Hardy) and Bridger (Will Poulter) Fitzgerald is not exactly thrilled and wants to just bury Glass and go home. Sadly for Fitzgerald, he buried a man who wasn’t quite dead yet and now he wants his vengeance.

What We Think: This is a cinephiles masturbatory wet dream. Whether its two-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki’s framing and selection or the choice to use only natural light. Leo is marvelous, he even earned himself an Oscar nomination for his performance here. As did Tom Hardy, who you could very well argue he steals this thing. There is a ton to like here, but a lot of the film feels like Innaritu is up his own ass. Often there’s a pretension about all of it. Almost like he’s saying to the audience I am far more artistic than any other director and that just isn’t true. There was plenty in 2015 that was uniquely filmed. Cálmate tio, eres más artístico que cualquier otro director. Basically, just calm down.

Our Grade: A-, Despite all of that the film is a juggernaut that has earned all its praise. It has such gorgeousness to it. Each frame reminding you of a painting. It lacks in the script quite frankly. It isn’t brilliant, however, the performances are enough to keep you engaged. Lots of smaller parts are really good here as well. I like that it celebrates Canada’s first nation people. It is great to see that done and done so without trying, asking, or hammering it home. See this film on the big screen it is just a refreshing piece of cinema that should be enjoyed so largely.