****
After being brutally attacked by a bear, and abandoned by his treacherous trapping partner, Hugh Glass begins a long and dangerous journey across the bleak wilderness in search of justice for his dead son.
From the opening scene, you know that you're in for a pretty rough ride, although not as rough as what Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) has to go through. The opening scene sees a large hunting party attacked by a group of Native Americans, and, as the blood pours, the camera continues on one long, continuous take, flitting from face to face as men are knocked down left right and centre. It is a blistering opening, immersive and bloody, brilliantly depicting the panic of the situation. It sets the scene for a film that is more an experience than something you would sit down to enjoy, almost an art installation that makes you go 'that's amazing film-making' but not 'I'd love to see that again!' The cold seeps from the screen and into the audience from the very first shot, and makes you endlessly thankful for central heating and fluffy duvets. The landscapes are unimaginably vast and thankless, uninhabited and imposing, and beautifully shot throughout. You really feel as though you're freezing to death alongside Glass as he staggers homewards in search of vengeance. The camerawork is truly remarkable, from the intense close-ups, allowing the breath of the actors to fog the lens, to that signature long-shot at the beginning. The soundtrack is equally as haunting. Yes, this is excellent filmmaking. And excellent acting too. Leo groans, grunts and screams through the film, uttering the handful of lines he actually has in a gruff voice. Whilst he will undoubtedly win the Oscar for this, however, the performances of the supporting cast are equally good, if not better. Tom Hardy is perfect as the detestable John Fitzgerald, who you just know is going to be trouble from the moment you see him, whilst Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson are the two characters with consciences who find themselves trapped in impossible situations.
For me, there were some dud notes, however. Yes, I appreciate this is an 'art house' film, but sometimes the more abstract moments felt more ridiculous than moving. As Glass wanders the wilderness, he sees visions of his wife, often floating above him, and instead of looking meaningful and mysterious, it just looked amusing to see her suspended like that. I can't have been alone in feeling this, as there were murmurs of mirth throughout the audience at these particular times. Similarly, the scenery is beautiful, and very big, and very cold, but I can't help feeling that the film would be considerably shorter (and it does go on for quite a while) if we hadn't been treated to quite so many panoramas. Also, there seem to be too many narratives going on at once, such as the conflict between the French hunting party and the Native Americans. It just seemed like one plot too many, that had to be resolved come the end of the film. I also seriously doubt that Glass could have survived all of that - he is literally put up against the elements from the beginning and somehow manages to live: the suspension of disbelief can only last for so long!
It is highly likely that we're going to see Alejandro González Iñárritu win two Oscars on the bounce with this film, and it would definitely be a worthy win - this is an excellent film, if not perfect. The cast do admirably, but the real star is the amazing landscape and the way in which it was filmed. This is definitely not for everyone, and certainly not the squeamish, but there is much to see here, and much to ponder afterwards.
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