- R
- 2h 37m
- Directed by
-
- Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Novel
- Michael Punke
- Premiered
- December 25, 2015
- Language
-
- English
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $135,000,000.00
- Revenue
- $532,950,503.00
- Awards
-
- Won 3 Oscars. 94 wins & 193 nominations total
- Country
-
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
- United States of America
The Revenant
- Production
-
- Monarchy Enterprises S.a.r.l.
- Regency Enterprises
- Appian Way
- CatchPlay
- and 5 more
Spoiler
Alejandro González Iñárritu's epic Western drama, "The Revenant," plunges viewers into the brutal realities of 19th-century frontier life, chronicling the extraordinary ordeal of Hugh Glass, a seasoned frontiersman portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. Released in 2015, this visually stunning and emotionally charged film, also known by its tagline "Blood lost. Life found," is a testament to the indomitable human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. Set against the breathtaking yet unforgiving landscapes of North America, the narrative unfolds as a gripping tale of survival, betrayal, and a relentless pursuit of retribution.
The film opens with a poignant scene, establishing the deep bond between Hugh Glass and his son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck). Speaking in an Indigenous language, Glass imparts words of courage to his son, acknowledging his fear and desire for an end to suffering, but urging him to persevere as long as he can draw breath. This intimate moment is interwoven with evocative flashbacks: tender images of Glass with his wife and son, the devastating sight of their home engulfed in flames, and a heart-wrenching embrace with his wife. These glimpses into his past underscore the profound love and loss that fuel his future actions.
Glass and Hawk are then depicted as part of a fur-trapping expedition, navigating treacherous rivers alongside their fellow hunters. Their lives are intertwined with the rough-and-tumble existence of the frontier settlement, a community of hardy fur traders led by their captain, Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson). The precarious peace of their world is shattered when a man stumbles into the settlement, collapsing with an arrow lodged in his back. The violence escalates swiftly as another man is struck by an arrow and falls into the crackling campfire. The hunting party finds itself under a brutal assault by a tribe of Arikara warriors. Amidst the chaos and gunfire, Glass narrowly escapes a fatal encounter, nearly being choked to death before being rescued by one of his men. The surviving members of the party, their numbers depleted, scramble to gather their valuable furs and essential supplies, preparing for a desperate escape by boat.
The motive behind the Arikara attack soon becomes clear: the tribe is searching for their chief's daughter, Powaqa, whom they suspect may have been taken by someone within the hunting party. This revelation adds a layer of complexity to the already perilous situation.
As the group seeks a new, safer settlement, tensions simmer within the ranks. Hawk, who is of mixed Indigenous and European heritage, faces harassment from John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a man whose animosity stems from Hawk's race. Glass, ever the protector, intervenes, cautioning his son against retaliating against Fitzgerald's provocations.
Later, while separated from the main group in the dense wilderness, Glass has a terrifying and life-altering encounter. He stumbles upon a mother grizzly bear and her cub. The enraged mother bear launches a ferocious attack, mauling and biting Glass with savage intensity. Despite his desperate attempts to defend himself and a shot fired that fails to kill the beast, the bear's onslaught is relentless. In a desperate act of self-preservation, Glass manages to retrieve his knife and, in a brutal struggle, slays the bear as they both tumble down a steep embankment.
The other members of the hunting party eventually find Glass, grievously wounded and barely alive. They attempt to tend to his extensive injuries, but his condition is dire. The ongoing pursuit of Powaqa by the Arikara leads them to a group of French fur traders. The Arikara attempt to negotiate for the traders' horses, but their request is met with refusal.
Meanwhile, the hunting party faces a difficult decision regarding the incapacitated Glass. Carrying him on a makeshift stretcher proves to be a significant impediment, slowing their progress considerably. An attempt to haul him up a hill results in a dangerous slide, endangering the other men. Fitzgerald, ever pragmatic and unsympathetic, suggests that the most humane course of action is to end Glass's suffering. Captain Henry, though visibly conflicted, considers the grim proposal. He covers Glass's eyes and even raises a rifle to his head, but ultimately cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. Henry then offers a substantial reward to anyone willing to stay behind and care for Glass until he succumbs to his injuries. Hawk and Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) volunteer for this grim duty, though Fitzgerald cynically points out the high probability of their own demise. Henry increases the reward, a sum that ultimately persuades even Fitzgerald to agree to remain with Glass, ostensibly until his death.
Despite the grim circumstances, Glass endures, his consciousness flickering between the agonizing pain of his wounds and vivid visions of his wife and the tragic day his home was destroyed.
Fitzgerald, seizing an opportunity when he is alone with Glass, manipulates the situation. He convinces Glass that the only way to prevent further suffering for himself and to ensure Hawk's safety is to allow Fitzgerald to end his life. Glass, in his weakened state, blinks in agreement. As Fitzgerald begins to smother him, Hawk arrives and witnesses what he perceives as a deliberate murder of his father. In a desperate attempt to get help from Bridger, Hawk calls out, leading to a violent struggle with Fitzgerald. During the altercation, Fitzgerald fatally stabs Hawk in the abdomen, leaving him to bleed out while a helpless Glass watches. Fitzgerald then disposes of Hawk's body and deceives Bridger, claiming he has no knowledge of Hawk's whereabouts.
Later that night, Fitzgerald urges Bridger to leave the area, fabricating a story about seeing Arikara warriors nearby. Having already dug a shallow grave for Glass, Fitzgerald forcefully drags the wounded man into the hole and buries him under a pile of dirt. Bridger, though clearly uneasy, reluctantly allows the act to proceed.
Unbeknownst to Fitzgerald and Bridger, Captain Henry and the hunting party have reached their outpost. As Fitzgerald and Bridger make their way to rejoin them, Bridger begins to suspect Fitzgerald's deception, realizing they had not seen any Arikara by the creek. He turns his rifle on Fitzgerald, but Fitzgerald disarms him and, in a chilling turn, aims the unloaded rifle at Bridger. They continue their journey, the unspoken tension between them palpable.
Miraculously, Glass awakens, weakly struggling to free himself from the dirt. He begins a torturous crawl through the wilderness, driven by an primal instinct to survive and find sustenance and warmth. He discovers Hawk's frozen body and vows to remain by his son's side. He finds a thick fur pelt to help ward off the biting cold and continues his arduous journey, foraging for roots to sustain himself. He attempts to build a fire, a meager source of warmth against the encroaching chill. Sensing the proximity of the pursuing Arikara, Glass makes a daring escape, riding down treacherous rapids.
Fitzgerald and Bridger continue their trek, eventually coming across a burnt-out settlement littered with the bodies of its inhabitants. A lone woman emerges from the ruins of her hut, witnessing their passage.
Glass, increasingly weakened by hunger and the cold, enters a river and consumes a live fish. He then encounters a Pawnee Indian feeding on a bison carcass. Cautiously approaching, Glass gestures for food. The Indian offers him an organ, which Glass eats despite his revulsion. The following morning, the Pawnee observes the festering bear wounds on Glass's body. Glass recounts how his men abandoned him and murdered his son. The Pawnee shares his own story of loss, his family having been killed by the Sioux, and reveals he is seeking other Pawnee.
Fitzgerald and Bridger reach the outpost and reunite with their party. Fitzgerald informs Captain Henry that both Glass and Hawk could not be saved and collects his payment. Bridger, however, remains consumed by remorse.
Glass and the Pawnee continue their journey together. They spend a peaceful evening catching rainwater in their mouths, a rare moment of respite for Glass. As the Pawnee gathers materials for warmth and tends to Glass, he experiences a vision of his wife, followed by an image of himself walking towards Hawk, culminating in an embrace.
Upon waking, Glass discovers that the Pawnee has been hanged by French fur trappers. He infiltrates their camp and witnesses one of the men assaulting a woman, Powaqa. Glass intervenes, holding the rapist at gunpoint and allowing Powaqa to escape. He then takes a horse, releasing the others, and rides to a secluded spot in the woods where he builds a fire.
The next morning, the Arikara tribe searching for Powaqa attacks. Glass holds them off with his rifle before mounting his horse and fleeing. The tribe pursues him on horseback to a cliff edge, where Glass and his horse plunge over. The horse dies, and Glass sustains further injuries. As night falls and the temperature plummets, he cuts open the horse's carcass, removes its organs, and shelters inside for warmth. Emerging from the carcass, he finds refuge in a cave, where he carves the inscription, "Fitzgerald killed my son."
Some time later, a French hunter arrives at the outpost with Glass's canteen, which Bridger had left behind on the dirt pile after Fitzgerald buried him. Believing Glass took it from Hawk, Captain Henry leads a search party. They find Glass crawling weakly on the ground and bring him back to the outpost. Henry discovers Fitzgerald has fled. The French hunter reveals that Fitzgerald was headed for Texas and had absconded with the party's payroll. Henry confronts Bridger, rifle in hand, and beats him, revealing Fitzgerald's deception.
Glass intervenes, vouching for Bridger's innocence to Henry, explaining that Bridger was merely following orders. He also recounts witnessing Fitzgerald murder his son. Upon learning of Fitzgerald's destination, Glass requests that Henry pursue him. Henry reluctantly agrees, but then decides to join Glass in the hunt.
The two men track Fitzgerald and split up to corner him. Henry finds Fitzgerald first, intending to bring him back for trial. Their confrontation escalates into a gunfight, during which Fitzgerald kills Henry. Glass discovers Henry's body and places it back on his horse. They ride towards Fitzgerald, who fires his rifle, believing he has killed Glass, but he has only shot Henry's body. Fitzgerald retreats, and Glass pursues. They corner each other in the woods, and Fitzgerald fires at Glass. Fitzgerald flees towards the creek, where Glass apprehends him, and a brutal fight ensues. Fitzgerald nearly stabs Glass, but Glass turns the knife on him. Fitzgerald impales Glass's hand, but Glass overpowers him and is about to deliver a fatal blow when Fitzgerald states that killing him will not bring his son back. On the other side of the creek, Glass sees the Arikara, now with Powaqa. He relinquishes his desire for personal revenge, believing it is in God's hands. He pushes Fitzgerald into the water, allowing him to float towards the Arikara. The chief seizes Fitzgerald and kills him with his knife. The Arikara spare Glass.
Though his quest for vengeance is complete, Glass finds himself alone once more, wandering through the desolate, cold landscape. He falls to his knees and experiences another vision of his wife. The film concludes with a poignant shot of Glass's eyes filling with tears as he breathes heavily, his gaze fixed on the audience.
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