Posted on 01/17/2016 10:53:15 AM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans
Saw The Revenant the other day with a good friend of mine. I can't say I've ever seen a movie that was filmed as beautifully as this one. The visuals and shots were simply amazing, and the style was very dream-like. In fact, the protagonist often had very vivid and bizarre dreams, but "reality" itself was also very odd and surreal in the way it was filmed. You sort of get the feeling that there is a spiritual undercurrent that you get a sense of in how the scenes were shot, and that is indeed a theme in the film's plot.
Story-wise, I'm pretty sure I've seen this movie before, although with variations. It's a standard western-revenge flick. Of course, there is the usual "we raped the indians and stole from them" theme that we're all used to. Leonardo, however, did a great job with what he had. I also enjoyed the use of indian language, and the movie didn't whitewash Indians entirely. At one point, another Indian notes that his family had been killed by the Sioux, but he chose to "leave revenge to the heavens." Although the plot isn't very original, you honestly did not know how things would turn out in the end. The movie makes you feel that Leonardo can fail at his mission at any time. You don't feel he is an invincible character (or at least I didn't) even though the amount of abuse this guy takes would have wrecked a T-1000 Terminator.
The violence was EXTREME. There is a rape scene. The famous Grizzly bear attack was not a bear on man rape (it was obviously a female bear in the first place), but was extremely brutal. There are some shots put in just for shock value, such as a man missing a leg and crawling around during an indian raid. In other cases, people get their fingers cut off, arrows through their face, and suffer many other horrible injuries. I will hand it to the director though, as he really helps you get a sense of the terror of fighting against a large number of "savages" who can see you, and kill you at any time, but you can't see them at all.
Obviously the amount of punishment our protagonist takes is just unreal. But it's a movie, so don't worry about it too much.
All in all, as an experience, to see the filming itself, the way the shots are constructed, I would highly recommend this movie and rate it 10 out of 10. Considering the plot and other factors, I would rate it, maybe, 7 out of 10, but definitely better than anything else in theaters right now, and more original than Star Wars, even though I just got done telling you it's a movie we've all seen before. Yes, the ideas behind the film are nothing new, but it's done so well it feels like a real movie, not like one of the endless sequels or remakes we've been getting lately.
My son knows me pretty well and he raved about the film but said it was too violent for me to be able to like it. I believe him. So I’m not going. Too bad they do this. I dislike gratuitous violence so much.
My wife and I walked out at the halfway point.
Just so much more gratuitous violence and vulgarity.
Hollywood is losing it's sense of making a fine feature film, IMHO.
The violence is no worse than what you see on cable. The movie has beautiful scenes, but for the most part it is a grind to watch. It does not compare to the great westerns of the past.
Anyone know where I can pick up one of those semi-automatic flintlock pistols?
There are so many Mountain Man stories that could be put on film-again!
Hugh Glass (MAN IN THE WILDERNESS)
Jedediah Smith
John Coulter, famous for fining Yellowstone and “Coulter’s Run”, made into a movie by Cornelle Wilde in Africa THE NAKED PREY.
Bill Williams
Jim Beckwourth (Black mountain man who guided Chivington to Sand Creek)
Jim Bridger (The young man who was supposed to bury Hugh Glass, but ran away)
Kit Carson
Andrew Garcia
“Indian” John Nelson
I saw the film. The production was done exceptionally well, I could feel the cold and snow.
The violence was extreme. I’m not saying the violence was overdone, I don’t know what people were like in the wilderness back then but I hope it was overdone. It was a dog eat dog world portrayed in the movie. It is hard to imagine such a brutal world or such dishonest people in it.
One good thing about the movie is that DiCaprio had so little to say past a few grunts. If nothing else the story was gripping, it holds you on the edge of your seat, I will be glad when I can forget it.
Can someone elaborate a little more on this “bear rape”? I can’t wrap my head around that - WHO was raped, and by whom? What I’ve read so far is just what’s in these comments on the movie. I just can’t picture a bear raping someone - that’s the jist of what I’m getting. Thanks much.
If the bear scene is any more violent than what was in the Man in the Wilderness, I'm definitely NOT going to see Revenant. THAT was an extremely violent scene, and what Richard Harris went through after the attack was too much to watch. It was horrible.
Will not waste my time.
Came home raving about it.
Was surprised he went to see it, even more surprised he liked it.
Or Death Hunt.
DiCaprio will win an Oscar, I predict.
GETTING INTO A VISIBLY DEAD HORSE...?
Sorry, that’s not for pussies.
Maybe it was a super hi-tech MODEL..?
Eh...I have my doubts.
I heard the director was really, REALLY making his actors suffer.
NOT DANCES WITH WOVES, by a MILE.
And devote his entire acceptance speech to fighting Global Warming.
I noticed that too. I guess he kept his cheeks full of balls but have no idea where he hid the powder.
Elaboration: didn’t happen. Period.
| Exceptional recovery rate, especially from hypothermia.
Still liked it.
Sounds like a remake of Man in the Wilderness. With a lot of extra added violence thrown in to make it more “realistic.”
I guess he kept his cheeks full of balls but have no idea where he hid the powder.
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LOL — That comment could go in so many different directions.
That was just a rumor somebody came up with at an early screening because the bear attack was so violent. The bear was female and protecting its young. By now, though, the bear rape rumor has become an internet meme — something bigger than the scene or even the movie.
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