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Movies & TV Movies & TV Reviews

The Revenant

THE REVENANT (Alejandro González Iñárritu). Opens Thursday (January 7).  156 minutes. See listing. Rating: NNN


Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki up the ante after their Oscar-hijacking technical accomplishment, Birdman. They insist on strictly natural lighting in the wintry wilderness for The Revenant, their latest compilation of intricately choreographed long takes. Their heavenly visuals, which would look lovely mounted over a fireplace, ultimately serve filmmaking ego more than the grim, early 19th-century revenge tale they are telling.

Leonardo DiCaprio is limited to making pained faces as Hugh Glass, a fur trapper mauled by a bear (a jaw-dropping sequence) and left for dead by John Fitzgerald, a vile character made compelling by the glint of humanity in Tom Hardy’s performance.

Glass’s rise from the grave and long slog through the brutal environment in pursuit of retribution are padded with moments that mimic Terrence Malick. The luxurious camerawork and ponderous shots of the landscape more often conspire against the action and any emotional connection we should have with these characters.

Don’t miss our feature with actor Will Poulter here.

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