I did not have much expectations from this movie as my friends booked tickets and I went along with a little curiosity why this movie got so many Oscar nominations. Not that I doubt the talent of the filmmaker, but from the look of it in the trailers, it did not seem like a movie I would thoroughly enjoy. But I did.
This is a revenge drama set in 1800s US. I’m not an expert on American History but from what I understood, Leonardo dicaprio ( Glass) is a guide to a party of American hunters in the wilderness. Through the spectacularly shot initial fight sequence between these hunters and the ’savage’ native americans, we come to know of the struggle between the aborigines and the settlers for the natural resources. A third party, which is French, is involved in business with the native americans supplying them with rifles and horses. The native american group is headed by a chief who is in search of his daughter who is abducted. Dicaprio’s past is shown in intermittent flash back scenes. He is also a hunter who falls in love with a native woman and has a son. The woman is murdered in one of the clashes and his son now accompanies him.
Back to present. After the initial clash with the natives, the group of hunters guided by Dicaprio escape in a boat to some distance but leave the boat midway and reenter the forest to divert the following natives. In a stunning scene, a grizzly bear attacks Dicaprio wounding him badly as he was trying to hunt for food. Others in the party find him in a almost lifeless state but decide to carry him. But after some time it becomes too difficult to carry him and decide to leave him with three men caring for him and to give him proper burial after he dies. Tom hardy agrees to be one of the three as money is offered for taking care of Dicaprio. Dicaprios son and a friend are the other two.
In an attempt to gey the money early, Tom hardy tries to strangle Dicaprio. Dicaprios son comes to the rescue but is killed by Tom Hardy. He then runs away leaving Dicaprio to die. Rest of the story forms how Dicaprio recovers from death and takes revenge for his sons death.
The real strength of the movie lies in Dicaprios action, breath taking camera work. Background music is also splendid. Especially the camera almost takes you along the rugged snow cladden lands and forests and rivers in long continuous and expansive shots that you feel like a part of the surroundings. The sound elevates the visuals to higher levels. Finally, Leonardo Dicaprio deserves an Oscar for this. So does the director and the music department. Go watch The Revenant for an immersive movie watching experience.