15 Reasons Why “THE REVENANT” Is Awesome!
15 Reasons Why THE REVENANT Is Awesome
Warning: The following article contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the movie, I suggest you do so immediately.
1. Leonardo DiCaprio – We are living in the era of Leo. To be alive during a time when we get to see his performances in new films as they release…. well, we’re privileged. Leo carries this film as Hugh Glass, a 19th century fur trapper who, after being mauled by a grizzly bear, is left for dead by his own men.
2. The bear scene – Leo getting mauled by a big ass grizzly bear is hyper realistic. Kicking off the conflict, this scene alone is worth seeing the movie on the big screen.
3. The authenticity – The filmmakers and actors spared no expense when it came to creating a genuine period piece. From costumes to language, the story takes us back through time to a period that is not often seen
4. The filmmaking process – The cast and crew went through Hell in freezing temperatures to capture the story in all natural lighting. Says director Alejandro González Iñárritu “if we ended up in greenscreen with coffee and everybody having a good time, everybody will be happy, but most likely the film would be a piece of shit.”
5. This is a real movie – Unlike most of the tripe that Hollywood releases nowadays, this movie encompasses the integrity of everyone involved. The Revenant is in direct opposition in style and approach to modern cookie cutter blockbusters that numb the mind.
6. Tom Hardy – This man has climbed the ranks in a short amount of time as he continues to display his skills as a character actor. Although Leo carries the film, Tom gives it flavor in his supporting role as the antagonist. His accent and overall demeanor in The Revenant will have you giggling at how good he is. Also check out “Bronson” and of course his portrayal as Bane in “Dark Knight Rises” is noteworthy (even if the film itself isn’t).
7. Leo went all out – In one grueling scene, Leonardo DiCaprio cuts the innards out of a dead horse and climbs inside, stark naked, in order to stay warm. Oh, did I mention that the horse was real and Leo actually did that shit?* He also ate raw Buffalo liver and learned two Native American languages.
*OK, so upon further research I found out that the horse was actually fake. But I bet that Leo would climb inside a real dead horse for warmth if he had to.
8. Beautiful cinematography – As mentioned above, the film was shot with all natural lighting. The camera work is stunning, following the action in ways that I have never seen before. Seriously, this film is beautiful!
9. Clean editing – During most of the film, I found myself wondering where the cuts were from shot to shot. It’s not that there aren’t any; it’s just that the storytelling is seamlessly blended together in a way that makes you feel as if you are actually there (without any jarring transitions). The editing keeps your focus on the action and allows you to forget you’re watching a movie.
10. Masterful directing – Alejandro González Iñárritu displays a masterful knack for storytelling through his work with the crew and talent. There are some really big scenes involving lots of action in the foreground and background, simultaneously, and it’s damn near flawlessly executed.
11. Realistic atmosphere – This movie made me feel like I was freezing, bringing me right into Leo’s struggle and extending my suspension of disbelief even more.
12. No drag – The movie is 2 hours and 36 minutes long, however at no point did I feel like it was dragging.
13. Did I mention Leo? – Seriously, he just cannot be stopped in this film. The man is one of the greatest actors of our time.
14. Inspired by true events – Even though the makers of the film took some serious artistic liberties with the actual story of Hugh Glass, the real life Glass did exist; he did get mauled by a grizzly, he was left for dead and he did crawl 350 miles to a trading post.
15. Hugh Glass is a BAMF – In a market that is saturated with whiney, pretty boy protagonists, it was great to watch a story revolving around a salt of the Earth bearded hero who was just as much fun to watch as he was to root for. There’s much more to Glass’s life story than just this one event, so do some research and make sure you go see THE REVENANT!
Ken Cosentino is a professional filmmaker. Follow him on Twitter: @KenCosentino and Instagram @KenCosentino
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About the Author
Ken Cosentino Ken Cosentino is an artist from Niagara Falls, NY. He is an award winning filmmaker, CEO of White Lion Studios, LLC and a published author.
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