The Revenant

            In life, there are a of lot scenarios that require a certain self control and strength to bounce back from. I know that is a very broad and generic statement to make but sometimes you just never know. It could be a bad day at work, a surprise dent on your driver side door, missing a game-winning shot, or even getting brutally mauled by a bear in the wilderness and left for dead. However you want to categorize your own day-to-day struggles, forget them for 2 hours and 36 minutes, see The Revenant, then drive home and erase your list of problems.

           For the sake of readership I will say that I am kidding, of course, with the above paragraph because I pray that your daily struggles aren't even close to being in the same ballpark as Hugh Glass'. You've seen the commercials so I'll be brief in reiterating that The Revenant is based off true events that took place in the 1820s. Some of you already know that this story has been adapted before in 1971 with Man in the Wilderness starring Richard Harris (the original Albus Dumbledore) and John Huston. To clarify the difference, I am led to believe that The Revenant is focused more on the lives of Hugh Glass and John Fitzgerald versus Man in the Wilderness which is a looser adaptation of the events that transpired.

Alright! Now that I've gotten that off my chest... shall we?

             I usually don't do "warnings" per se when talking about seeing a movie (actually, I stay as far away as possible from them) because I would hate to deprive you of missing out on a revelation such as a well-made film solely from what could be a personal fear or whatever trivial thing that would hesitate you. This is kind of different, though. Purely because of how phenomenally realistic and researched The Revenant is, it is not for the squeamish or blood-phobics. You get a feel for the intensity during the trailers but the film itself is probably not far off of how it was almost 200 years ago. You're going to go see it anyway, right? Why wouldn't you? I mean, if you miss out on DiCaprio's finest hour, I don't think I could ever forgive you.

            Trying to defend his title as reigning Academy Award Best Picture and Best Director winner (Birdman 2014), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is pulling out all the stops to blow the audience away with the story of 19th century frontiersmen Hugh Glass and John Fitzgerald. While on a woodsy expedition of hunting and trading furs, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is virtually torn apart by a mother bear after she spots him a little too close to her cubs. Volunteers from the expedition team stay back with Glass to ensure he is given a proper burial after his imminent death. The three men that remain by his side are the reluctant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy in touch with his inner Forrest Bondurant), Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and Glass' Pawnee son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck). Hot-headedness and a jealous rage from Fitzgerald leads to not only the ultimate fight for survival but a revenge mission that is colder than the air that surrounds them.

            Fur trappers are known for being resourceful and very much in touch with their surroundings but Hugh Glass has an understanding of the land's layout making him an expert of orienteering and marksmanship. In order to devote his mind, body, and spirit, Leonardo DiCaprio gave up his comfortable, vegetarian lifestyle and lived off the grid while filming a good part of this movie. Just giving you a tiny taste that doesn't spoil anything, the bison liver: it's real, and I want to assume that the vomit that follows said liver is real, too. This role channels a new level of acting greatness that I believe can only be pulled off by DiCaprio himself.

            I was under the impression that this was a perfect movie but I have to say the timeline of the story is a little disjointed, but nothing at all to worry about. Let yourself become enveloped by the scenery. Cinematography is a great strength of Inarritu and he flexes his muscles once again by having every picturesque landscape and mountainside shot using natural light. As uncomfortable as a lot of The Revenant may seem, there is a breath of fresh air that's as light as a snowflake so don't let the lack of dialogue or animalistic, painful heavy breathing intimidate you.

            The Oscar nominees have not been announced and I have not yet seen the other films that will be up against this one but I will go on record saying that I would bet the Powerball on DiCaprio walking away with his first Academy Award. This is truly one for the ages, folks. Inside and out, The Revenant sparks everything you want and you'll be glad it doesn't hold back. GRADE: 9/10