I was left speechless after this one. A little over a week ago, I released my top ten films of 2015 and assumed that it was finalized. Apparently I was wrong because this one jumps all the way to the top for me. Going into the film, I had heard that it was a bit too long but beautiful and well-acted. Well, I thought that the film was the perfect length because of the art it was conveying. Filled with metaphors and shots of nature, I was never drawn away from the screen. Every single shot held a sort of magnificence that I wish Steve McQueen could figure out how to handle. In The Revenant, nature is its own character by adding to the narrative between superbly acted scenes.
Not enough praise can go to each and every single actor in the film. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Domhnall Gleeson each bring out the ruthlessness of the European traders. Leo of course deserves an Oscar for this film and hopefully someone else won't steal this one from him. After all, who else actually ate a raw bison liver in their performance this year? Even with little dialogue, DiCaprio shines as one of the greatest method actors of all time. Hardy similarly shines as a sort of villain without a very well thought-out plan after his actions. Lastly, Gleeson plays a strong leader as a captain. He is really shaping into a fine actor but still seems to be underrated by the public.
Here comes the real reason I fell in love with the film. The score is probably my favorite score of last year as well. The drawn-out five notes that introduce the scale of the film fit so perfectly. It is deep, it is emotional, and it is just as fitting for this film as Concerning Hobbits was for the Shire. Accompanying the music, the audience gets a glimpse of the mysticism and spirituality of the time. These are things that modern American society has lost. Making a case for revival of Native American culture, the film cuts very deep into the land that our forefathers and we ourselves have taken for granted. The film is just perfection, pure perfection.
The Bottom Line: On a grand scale, this film reaches out for the audiences emotions as it uses mystical methods to tell a story and plead for a revival of a lost culture.
Score: 9.7/10
Not enough praise can go to each and every single actor in the film. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Domhnall Gleeson each bring out the ruthlessness of the European traders. Leo of course deserves an Oscar for this film and hopefully someone else won't steal this one from him. After all, who else actually ate a raw bison liver in their performance this year? Even with little dialogue, DiCaprio shines as one of the greatest method actors of all time. Hardy similarly shines as a sort of villain without a very well thought-out plan after his actions. Lastly, Gleeson plays a strong leader as a captain. He is really shaping into a fine actor but still seems to be underrated by the public.
Here comes the real reason I fell in love with the film. The score is probably my favorite score of last year as well. The drawn-out five notes that introduce the scale of the film fit so perfectly. It is deep, it is emotional, and it is just as fitting for this film as Concerning Hobbits was for the Shire. Accompanying the music, the audience gets a glimpse of the mysticism and spirituality of the time. These are things that modern American society has lost. Making a case for revival of Native American culture, the film cuts very deep into the land that our forefathers and we ourselves have taken for granted. The film is just perfection, pure perfection.
The Bottom Line: On a grand scale, this film reaches out for the audiences emotions as it uses mystical methods to tell a story and plead for a revival of a lost culture.
Score: 9.7/10
