directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush
written by Jared Bush, Phil Johnston, Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jennifer Lee
Walt Disney Animation's new anthropomorphic film Zootopia, starts out well enough. It lays down its premise quickly and efficiently: animals used to exist in a predator and prey relationship, but they have evolved past that and live in harmony, as acted out by the young Judy Hopps (Della Saba) and her friends in a school play. Not long thereafter, though, Judy, who dreams of becoming a police officer someday, faces down a school bully who happens to be a fox, who overpowers her, but only firms up Judy's resolve to become a police officer someday.
Fifteen years later, Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) is even more determined to become a police officer. She faces prejudice and contempt on account of her diminutive stature relative to the other recruits, and even after she graduates top of her class at the academy, she is treated badly by her superior Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) an ill-tempered cape buffalo, who puts her on traffic duty initially. When Judy busts a small-time criminal (Alan Tudyk), she manages to earn Bogo's ire for leaving her post, but also gets put on a missing mammal case when, while Bogo is chewing her out, the wife of a missing otter, one of several missing predators who have the Zootopia police on an extensive "animal" hunt, bursts into Bogo's office pleading desperately for help, upon which Hopps volunteers. Hopps is determined to solve the case, but first she must team up with someone she trusts the least: a con artist named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) who happens to be a fox. While their partnership is a tumultuous one at first, working together, they soon discover something shocking that could affect the entire Zootopia.
What starts out as a fairly standard cartoon about following one's dreams metamorphoses pretty quickly into a startling story about prejudice going one way, and then another. The good thing about the writing is that it pretty much lays the basis for its third-act revelations, unlike the twist in Frozen that felt a tad forced. It's actually some pretty clever bait-and-switch writing and I appreciate the writers for turning some storytelling tropes on their heads. I can't really say much more without spoiling crucial plot twists, but suffice it to say this film's script was very well-realized and has a lot of really important things to say about fear-mongering and minorities.
The film, of course, is a technical marvel, as most of them have been since Disney abandoned hand-drawn animation for good with Tangled. I had thought that the fantastic Japanese-American-inspired cityscape of Big Hero 6 would be a tough act to top, and I imagine it was, but Disney went and did it anyway. Rendering animals could not have been an easy feat. One look at Hopps along reveals how astonishingly detailed her fur was, and one realizes that having the animals wear clothes was actually a bit of a "cheat" as it saved the animators considerable effort in having to render all of their fur. Still, considering the detail lavished on the entire production I'd hardly take a little labor saving against them. Also, it made for a pretty good gag when Judy and Nick walk into a community of "naturalists" or animals that don't wear clothes.
I really love it when I walk out of a film pleasantly surprised. I had already expected to enjoy this film with my children, but I had not at all expected it to tackle such a topical theme, much less this skillfully. This is the kind of movie I would have expected from Disney's more highbrow cousin Pixar. I can think of no higher praise.
10/10
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Schlock as Allegory: A Review of EDSA XXX: Ganito Kami Noon, Ganito Pa Rin Kami Ngayon
written and directed by Khavn de la Cruz
Up until last Wednesday night, I had never sat through a movie thinking that I was experiencing "The Emperor's New Clothes." Watching Khavn de la Cruz's political-satire-cum-musical-cum-comedy EDSA XXX, I sincerely couldn't help but wonder if the filmmaker was sitting the corner snickering and waiting for someone in the audience to holler "this film is terrible!" the same way the child in that fairy tale pointed out the emperor's obvious nakedness.
EDSA XXX is billed as an "absurdist" look at the EDSA phenomenon. In this "alternate universe" the fictionalized Philippines, here dubbed the Republic of "Ek-Ek-Ek" has had thirty EDSA uprisings in all, and as presidents as a result, but for reasons no one can understand, life doesn't seem to have improved at all for its citizens. The film begins as yet another President, "Kulog Negro" (translated rather viciously as "Thunder Nigger" rather than "Black Thunder"), about to be deposed via another uprising, is found dead in his house. He is promptly replaced with "Three Eyes" (Epy Quizon) a president supposedly divinely preordained for the position. Unfortunately, things seem just as bad as they were before, and soon Three Eyes, actually a simpleton named Kulas, must discover the truth behind why nothing good has happened even after thirty "EDSA" revolutions, something he can only do with the help of a prostitute and his constant companion (Sheree).
The synopsis really doesn't quite capture the utter strangeness of this experience. The film is loaded from beginning to end with inside jokes and references to Filipino history and pop culture, but given that there does seem to be some intent to sell this film to an international audience, I think de la Cruz might have laid the "absurdity" on a little too thick.
Also, I have never seen a film more deliberately wear its nano-budget heritage so proudly on its sleeve. From the consistently horrible looping (or the dubbing of the dialogue), which could only have been deliberate and a likely reference to the awful looping of most Filipino films of the 80s, to the special effects, in particular fake digital blood, that look like they were hatched in a smartphone, this film just seems to scream: "hey, look at how deliberately schlocky I am. I could have been better, if the filmmakers had an actual budget for things like locations, costumes and that sort of thing." There are even two scenes of characters defecating, replete with farting sounds, another possible reference to the low-budget Filipino comedies that were en vogue in the dying days of martial law. The thing is, as deliberate as it is, I still don't know if that's a good thing. Yes, most Filipinos familiar with films of the era will probably get the references, but few other viewers will. It's a bit too much of an inside joke.
The good news, though, is that the film does have its heart in the right place, so to speak, as Khavn peppers the entire affair with archival footage from the three actual uprisings dubbed "EDSA," the first in 1986, the second and third in 2001, as if to remind people what this film is really about. The problem to me, though is that the filmmakers are so meticulously dedicated to making the film as off-the-wall goofy as possible that it ultimately dilutes whatever advocacy they're pushing, which is really a shame because I think they have something really important to say here.
5/10
Up until last Wednesday night, I had never sat through a movie thinking that I was experiencing "The Emperor's New Clothes." Watching Khavn de la Cruz's political-satire-cum-musical-cum-comedy EDSA XXX, I sincerely couldn't help but wonder if the filmmaker was sitting the corner snickering and waiting for someone in the audience to holler "this film is terrible!" the same way the child in that fairy tale pointed out the emperor's obvious nakedness.
EDSA XXX is billed as an "absurdist" look at the EDSA phenomenon. In this "alternate universe" the fictionalized Philippines, here dubbed the Republic of "Ek-Ek-Ek" has had thirty EDSA uprisings in all, and as presidents as a result, but for reasons no one can understand, life doesn't seem to have improved at all for its citizens. The film begins as yet another President, "Kulog Negro" (translated rather viciously as "Thunder Nigger" rather than "Black Thunder"), about to be deposed via another uprising, is found dead in his house. He is promptly replaced with "Three Eyes" (Epy Quizon) a president supposedly divinely preordained for the position. Unfortunately, things seem just as bad as they were before, and soon Three Eyes, actually a simpleton named Kulas, must discover the truth behind why nothing good has happened even after thirty "EDSA" revolutions, something he can only do with the help of a prostitute and his constant companion (Sheree).
The synopsis really doesn't quite capture the utter strangeness of this experience. The film is loaded from beginning to end with inside jokes and references to Filipino history and pop culture, but given that there does seem to be some intent to sell this film to an international audience, I think de la Cruz might have laid the "absurdity" on a little too thick.
Also, I have never seen a film more deliberately wear its nano-budget heritage so proudly on its sleeve. From the consistently horrible looping (or the dubbing of the dialogue), which could only have been deliberate and a likely reference to the awful looping of most Filipino films of the 80s, to the special effects, in particular fake digital blood, that look like they were hatched in a smartphone, this film just seems to scream: "hey, look at how deliberately schlocky I am. I could have been better, if the filmmakers had an actual budget for things like locations, costumes and that sort of thing." There are even two scenes of characters defecating, replete with farting sounds, another possible reference to the low-budget Filipino comedies that were en vogue in the dying days of martial law. The thing is, as deliberate as it is, I still don't know if that's a good thing. Yes, most Filipinos familiar with films of the era will probably get the references, but few other viewers will. It's a bit too much of an inside joke.
The good news, though, is that the film does have its heart in the right place, so to speak, as Khavn peppers the entire affair with archival footage from the three actual uprisings dubbed "EDSA," the first in 1986, the second and third in 2001, as if to remind people what this film is really about. The problem to me, though is that the filmmakers are so meticulously dedicated to making the film as off-the-wall goofy as possible that it ultimately dilutes whatever advocacy they're pushing, which is really a shame because I think they have something really important to say here.
5/10
Friday, February 12, 2016
Ryan Reynolds' Dream Come True: A Review of Deadpool
directed by Tim Miller
written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
When Wade Wilson made his first ever on-screen appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine back in 2009, people saw promise; he had the character's one-liners down pat, and was brilliant with swordplay, as the character was supposed to be. It all went south, however, when the character reappeared in the film's climax with his mouth having been sewn shut and a pair of adamantium swords emerging from his hands.
For over six years after that, Ryan Reynolds, who portrayed him in that film, fought an uphill battle with the studio executives to give the character a second crack at big screen stardom, and this weekend, he finally gets his wish as the Deadpool feature film opens around the world.
Deadpool is the story of Wade Wilson (Reynolds) which, in this film, is told almost completely out of sequence as the film opens with a freeze-frame of an SUV in mid-tumble along a freeway, with the title character in mid-action pose, punching one of the armed man in the SUV, kicking another, sitting on yet another, and pulling on the pants of a motorcycle rider (also in mid-air). In incremental flashback sequences, Wade narrates how he has gone from being an ex-Special Forces operative to a small-time enforcer, terrorizing teen stalkers and other lowlifes (for a fee), in between hanging out and feeling melancholy at a bar for ex-Special Forces people just like him, to finding the girl of his dreams in Vanessa, a similarly disillusioned hooker (Morena Baccarin), to finding out he has terminal cancer, to volunteering for an experimental treatment at the hands of the shady Francis (Ed Skrein) that has left him disfigured and ultimately wanting revenge and a cure. Two of the X-Men, Colossus (a CGI character voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), keep tabs on Deadpool to prevent him from completely destroying downtown, but in the end he may end up recruiting them if he is to take on Francis and his deadly henchwoman, the superstrong Angel Dust (Gina Carano).
Of course, the summary makes this sound like another generic comic-book based revenge flick, but to be fair to this film, it is anything but that.
It's almost been a whole day since I watched this with my wife, and I still can't help but marvel (pun intended) at the massive cojones that the executives at Fox, infamous for mangling known comic-book properties beyond all recognition (Exhibit "A" being the previous screen incarnation of Deadpool) in the name of playing it safe, have shown in making this film.
This is a film that goes against every instinct of anyone looking to sell a blockbuster: the leading man looks like a hamburger, he's kind of a bastard, and the family market is virtually completely excluded by virtue of all the sex, violence, profanity and drug references. In short, by rights, considering the market superhero movies are usually aimed at, this movie shouldn't have been made at all. When the similarly uber-violent, horror-history mashup Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter tanked four years ago I was pretty sure that Deadpool, which was still very much in development hell back then, would never be made. I was really happy to be proven wrong. To be honest, I'll even go one further, even though I never ever thought I'd be saying this: for all their massive chutzpah in launching their unified cinematic universe, I don't think Marvel has the balls to make a movie like this, at least not yet. And no, their hard-hitting Netflix series don't count.
This movie is to superhero movies was Kingsman: The Secret Service was to spy movies and what Shrek was to fairy tales: a send-up of truly epic proportions. Like those two it throws in a barrage of good-natured pop-culture jabs all throughout as well, including a Ferris-Bueller parody in the post-credits sequence.
It does feel a little smug here and there, but overall, most of its endless barrage of jokes hit their mark, the action, while ridiculous at times, still looks good onscreen, and the actors have good comedic chemistry. And the filmmakers remember never to take themselves too seriously. Yes, the filmmakers know Colossus looks like he stepped out of a video game, yes, they know the constant bloodletting looks ludicrous and basically makes Kingsman's "hate church" scene look absolutely demure, and yes, they know that their movie is as much a product as the films it's lampooning. For all of that, somehow, Reese, Wernick, Miller and their cast, most especially Reynolds, still manage to hit the sweet spot (most of the time), in this extremely unwieldy mix of sex, violence and comedy. The thing is, this was a movie that was so over-the-top that it could very easily have fallen off the cliff, so kudos to the cast and crew for keeping it all together.
Special mention, however, must go to the man who has relentlessly been championing this character's journey to the screen for the last decade or so with whatever remnants of clout he had left after Green Lantern tanked: Ryan Reynolds.
Thanks for never giving up on this character, Ryan.
7.8/10
written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
When Wade Wilson made his first ever on-screen appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine back in 2009, people saw promise; he had the character's one-liners down pat, and was brilliant with swordplay, as the character was supposed to be. It all went south, however, when the character reappeared in the film's climax with his mouth having been sewn shut and a pair of adamantium swords emerging from his hands.
For over six years after that, Ryan Reynolds, who portrayed him in that film, fought an uphill battle with the studio executives to give the character a second crack at big screen stardom, and this weekend, he finally gets his wish as the Deadpool feature film opens around the world.
Deadpool is the story of Wade Wilson (Reynolds) which, in this film, is told almost completely out of sequence as the film opens with a freeze-frame of an SUV in mid-tumble along a freeway, with the title character in mid-action pose, punching one of the armed man in the SUV, kicking another, sitting on yet another, and pulling on the pants of a motorcycle rider (also in mid-air). In incremental flashback sequences, Wade narrates how he has gone from being an ex-Special Forces operative to a small-time enforcer, terrorizing teen stalkers and other lowlifes (for a fee), in between hanging out and feeling melancholy at a bar for ex-Special Forces people just like him, to finding the girl of his dreams in Vanessa, a similarly disillusioned hooker (Morena Baccarin), to finding out he has terminal cancer, to volunteering for an experimental treatment at the hands of the shady Francis (Ed Skrein) that has left him disfigured and ultimately wanting revenge and a cure. Two of the X-Men, Colossus (a CGI character voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), keep tabs on Deadpool to prevent him from completely destroying downtown, but in the end he may end up recruiting them if he is to take on Francis and his deadly henchwoman, the superstrong Angel Dust (Gina Carano).
Of course, the summary makes this sound like another generic comic-book based revenge flick, but to be fair to this film, it is anything but that.
It's almost been a whole day since I watched this with my wife, and I still can't help but marvel (pun intended) at the massive cojones that the executives at Fox, infamous for mangling known comic-book properties beyond all recognition (Exhibit "A" being the previous screen incarnation of Deadpool) in the name of playing it safe, have shown in making this film.
This is a film that goes against every instinct of anyone looking to sell a blockbuster: the leading man looks like a hamburger, he's kind of a bastard, and the family market is virtually completely excluded by virtue of all the sex, violence, profanity and drug references. In short, by rights, considering the market superhero movies are usually aimed at, this movie shouldn't have been made at all. When the similarly uber-violent, horror-history mashup Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter tanked four years ago I was pretty sure that Deadpool, which was still very much in development hell back then, would never be made. I was really happy to be proven wrong. To be honest, I'll even go one further, even though I never ever thought I'd be saying this: for all their massive chutzpah in launching their unified cinematic universe, I don't think Marvel has the balls to make a movie like this, at least not yet. And no, their hard-hitting Netflix series don't count.
This movie is to superhero movies was Kingsman: The Secret Service was to spy movies and what Shrek was to fairy tales: a send-up of truly epic proportions. Like those two it throws in a barrage of good-natured pop-culture jabs all throughout as well, including a Ferris-Bueller parody in the post-credits sequence.
It does feel a little smug here and there, but overall, most of its endless barrage of jokes hit their mark, the action, while ridiculous at times, still looks good onscreen, and the actors have good comedic chemistry. And the filmmakers remember never to take themselves too seriously. Yes, the filmmakers know Colossus looks like he stepped out of a video game, yes, they know the constant bloodletting looks ludicrous and basically makes Kingsman's "hate church" scene look absolutely demure, and yes, they know that their movie is as much a product as the films it's lampooning. For all of that, somehow, Reese, Wernick, Miller and their cast, most especially Reynolds, still manage to hit the sweet spot (most of the time), in this extremely unwieldy mix of sex, violence and comedy. The thing is, this was a movie that was so over-the-top that it could very easily have fallen off the cliff, so kudos to the cast and crew for keeping it all together.
Special mention, however, must go to the man who has relentlessly been championing this character's journey to the screen for the last decade or so with whatever remnants of clout he had left after Green Lantern tanked: Ryan Reynolds.
Thanks for never giving up on this character, Ryan.
7.8/10
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
A Different Sort of Revenge Movie: A Review of The Revenant
directed by Alejandro Inarritu
written by Alejandro Inarritu and Mark Smith
There's something primal about the appeal of a revenge movie, the thought of someone who does great evil to another receiving his comeuppance, especially since it's something that rarely happens in real life. The more heinous the offense, the more gruesome the revenge, and ultimately the more satisfying the viewing experience. Revenge stories have been told on the silver screen so frequently over the years that the secret to a really good one anymore is all in the telling. It's all about atmosphere, and creating both a protagonist and an antagonist who are utterly compelling to watch.
In this regard, Alejandro Inarritu succeeds with his new film The Revenant, in which his protagonist played by Leonardo diCaprio and his antagonist played by Tom Hardy are written and played to utter perfection.
The film is loosely based on the story of 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass (diCaprio). The events in the film take place in 1823, in which Glass is accompanying a party of trappers under the command of another fictionalized historical figure Captain Andrew Henry (Domnhall Gleeson) somewhere in North Dakota. Animal pelts are extremely valuable and are used as currency by the Americans, the French and the native tribes populating the landscape, and it is no surprise that the band of trappers are attacked by a group of natives known as the Ree, who kill most of their party before they are able to escape to their boat. Due to the terrible weather the group is forced to abandon their boat and their haul of pelts and make their way back to their outpost, Fort Kiowa, on foot, over the loud protests of one of the trappers, John Fitzgerald (Hardy). Glass, who has been invaluable to the troop as their guide, is then attacked and nearly killed by a grizzly bear. The troop patches him up as best they can and take him with them as they try to find their way back, but when they are unable to navigate the frozen wasteland without Glass's help, they are forced to leave him, albeit with three people standing guard: his half-Pawnee son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and Fitzgerald. Fearing for his own safety and sure that Glass is as good as dead given the severity of his injuries, Fitzgerald attempts to murder Glass as he lies helpless on his stretcher, after convincing himself that Glass has consented to being euthanised. Bridger is away fetching water, but Hawk intervenes, and Fitzgerald murders him right before the helpless Glass's eyes. Fitzgerald hides Hawk's body, then lies to Bridger, telling him they are about to be attacked by a large band of Ree, convincing him to basically abandon Glass to his fate, and the two of them leave Glass for dead.
But Glass doesn't die, and as he crawls out of the makeshift grave Fitzgerald dug and then hastily dumped him into, his body still a mangled shell of what it once was, he is fueled with rage and the desire for revenge, but he knows that, before all else, he must survive.
As revenge movies go, this one ticks all the boxes with a truly despicable villain in Hardy's Fitzgerald, a foul-mouthed bigot whose attitude towards Glass and his son is established early on in the film to the extent that, even without the marketing for this movie describing him as the heavy, viewers will be able to see from a mile away what he's going to do. Glass's journey, however, isn't just towards revenge as he claws his way back from the very edge of death itself, but towards some truly important realizations as he makes his way across the inhospitable landscape and slowly manages to heal.
The film is as much about Glass's titanic (sorry, couldn't resist) battle to survive as it is his desire to avenge his son, and it is a raw, extreme experience. Seeing diCaprio endure freezing weather, I had to wonder just how much of this experience Hollywood was able to sanitize for him; I highly doubt the rapids in which he floated about were heated to his liking. While he certainly was not attacked by a bear in real life (and the computer-generated imagery that went into that horrifying encounter deserves special mention), it is quite clear that diCaprio, and to a lesser extent the cast in general, endured some pretty challenging conditions to shoot this movie. In short, if diCaprio walks home with the golden statue come Oscar night, one could justifiably say he went well above and beyond the call of duty to earn it.
Although the film was based on real events, I get that, at least at some point, it is meant to be impressionistic rather than realistic, which would explain the many dream sequences and visions Glass has and the fact that in the third act, verisimilitude kind of goes out the window with some pretty extreme action sequences. There's a beauty and irony to the way the harsh landscape in which Glass nearly dies actually plays a part in his healing.
Though the action and violence was unabashedly over the top, I have to say, I like how the revenge plot played out. I confess, though, that the way the movie resolved its central conflict felt a little heavy-handed, and somewhat out of left field. Sure, by the time the big reveal is made, the script has already dropped plenty of hints at what is going to happen, but I still felt incredulous when I saw it; a revenge flick was the last place I had expected to find a religious theme, but there it was, in bright neon letters.
This is actually a movie I can wholeheartedly recommend to Christians of all denominations, especially Catholics, what with the depiction of redemptive suffering. Also, it champions indigenous people and the environment more effectively than overwrought narrative cliches like Dances with Wolves and Avatar ever did.
There are some cons, though; like I said, the violence gets over-the-top at some points (though I'm not referring to the bear attack, which is easily the most extreme sequence of the film), and the film is at least fifteen minutes too long.
It is a rewarding, if somewhat exhausting film to watch. One caveat I have for viewers is to try to avoid watching it in an empty theater, as an overpowering air conditioner, accompanied with the vivid imagery of snow and ice, can make for a somewhat unpleasant sensory experience.
8.1/10
written by Alejandro Inarritu and Mark Smith
There's something primal about the appeal of a revenge movie, the thought of someone who does great evil to another receiving his comeuppance, especially since it's something that rarely happens in real life. The more heinous the offense, the more gruesome the revenge, and ultimately the more satisfying the viewing experience. Revenge stories have been told on the silver screen so frequently over the years that the secret to a really good one anymore is all in the telling. It's all about atmosphere, and creating both a protagonist and an antagonist who are utterly compelling to watch.
In this regard, Alejandro Inarritu succeeds with his new film The Revenant, in which his protagonist played by Leonardo diCaprio and his antagonist played by Tom Hardy are written and played to utter perfection.
The film is loosely based on the story of 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass (diCaprio). The events in the film take place in 1823, in which Glass is accompanying a party of trappers under the command of another fictionalized historical figure Captain Andrew Henry (Domnhall Gleeson) somewhere in North Dakota. Animal pelts are extremely valuable and are used as currency by the Americans, the French and the native tribes populating the landscape, and it is no surprise that the band of trappers are attacked by a group of natives known as the Ree, who kill most of their party before they are able to escape to their boat. Due to the terrible weather the group is forced to abandon their boat and their haul of pelts and make their way back to their outpost, Fort Kiowa, on foot, over the loud protests of one of the trappers, John Fitzgerald (Hardy). Glass, who has been invaluable to the troop as their guide, is then attacked and nearly killed by a grizzly bear. The troop patches him up as best they can and take him with them as they try to find their way back, but when they are unable to navigate the frozen wasteland without Glass's help, they are forced to leave him, albeit with three people standing guard: his half-Pawnee son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and Fitzgerald. Fearing for his own safety and sure that Glass is as good as dead given the severity of his injuries, Fitzgerald attempts to murder Glass as he lies helpless on his stretcher, after convincing himself that Glass has consented to being euthanised. Bridger is away fetching water, but Hawk intervenes, and Fitzgerald murders him right before the helpless Glass's eyes. Fitzgerald hides Hawk's body, then lies to Bridger, telling him they are about to be attacked by a large band of Ree, convincing him to basically abandon Glass to his fate, and the two of them leave Glass for dead.
But Glass doesn't die, and as he crawls out of the makeshift grave Fitzgerald dug and then hastily dumped him into, his body still a mangled shell of what it once was, he is fueled with rage and the desire for revenge, but he knows that, before all else, he must survive.
As revenge movies go, this one ticks all the boxes with a truly despicable villain in Hardy's Fitzgerald, a foul-mouthed bigot whose attitude towards Glass and his son is established early on in the film to the extent that, even without the marketing for this movie describing him as the heavy, viewers will be able to see from a mile away what he's going to do. Glass's journey, however, isn't just towards revenge as he claws his way back from the very edge of death itself, but towards some truly important realizations as he makes his way across the inhospitable landscape and slowly manages to heal.
The film is as much about Glass's titanic (sorry, couldn't resist) battle to survive as it is his desire to avenge his son, and it is a raw, extreme experience. Seeing diCaprio endure freezing weather, I had to wonder just how much of this experience Hollywood was able to sanitize for him; I highly doubt the rapids in which he floated about were heated to his liking. While he certainly was not attacked by a bear in real life (and the computer-generated imagery that went into that horrifying encounter deserves special mention), it is quite clear that diCaprio, and to a lesser extent the cast in general, endured some pretty challenging conditions to shoot this movie. In short, if diCaprio walks home with the golden statue come Oscar night, one could justifiably say he went well above and beyond the call of duty to earn it.
Although the film was based on real events, I get that, at least at some point, it is meant to be impressionistic rather than realistic, which would explain the many dream sequences and visions Glass has and the fact that in the third act, verisimilitude kind of goes out the window with some pretty extreme action sequences. There's a beauty and irony to the way the harsh landscape in which Glass nearly dies actually plays a part in his healing.
Though the action and violence was unabashedly over the top, I have to say, I like how the revenge plot played out. I confess, though, that the way the movie resolved its central conflict felt a little heavy-handed, and somewhat out of left field. Sure, by the time the big reveal is made, the script has already dropped plenty of hints at what is going to happen, but I still felt incredulous when I saw it; a revenge flick was the last place I had expected to find a religious theme, but there it was, in bright neon letters.
This is actually a movie I can wholeheartedly recommend to Christians of all denominations, especially Catholics, what with the depiction of redemptive suffering. Also, it champions indigenous people and the environment more effectively than overwrought narrative cliches like Dances with Wolves and Avatar ever did.
There are some cons, though; like I said, the violence gets over-the-top at some points (though I'm not referring to the bear attack, which is easily the most extreme sequence of the film), and the film is at least fifteen minutes too long.
It is a rewarding, if somewhat exhausting film to watch. One caveat I have for viewers is to try to avoid watching it in an empty theater, as an overpowering air conditioner, accompanied with the vivid imagery of snow and ice, can make for a somewhat unpleasant sensory experience.
8.1/10
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