Leonardo DiCaprio has done it again. After four Oscar nominations, the entire world is asking the same question as the Academy Awards draw closer: Will 2016 be Leo’s year at last?

“The Revenant,” DiCaprio’s newest film, is the inspiring true story of Hugh Glass, an 1820s fur trapper who survived a vicious bear mauling and was left for dead among the snowy mountains of the Dakota Territory by the rest of the members of his hunting party.

The film is nuanced and detailed in ways that pay credit to director Alejandro González Iñárritu, who already has three Oscars under his belt for his 2014 film “Birdman.” The direction and screenplay of the film are as stunning as DiCaprio’s acting.

The movie, which is based off of a 2002 book of the same name by Michael Punke, is both detailed and magnificent in its scope. Despite the fact that the events portrayed in the film actually took place in the summer of 1823, Iñárritu ingeniously decided to set it in the winter instead. The huge, sweeping shots of snowy mountains and frozen rivers perfectly symbolized the hopelessness and utter loneliness of Glass in a huge and terrifyingly beautiful world.

DiCaprio’s performance is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. According to DiCaprio himself, this was “the most challenging” role he has ever played. The film depicts the man dragging himself on the ground in the snow, swimming in freezing rivers, sleeping in the belly of a dead horse and going to the extreme of eating raw bison liver.

Because Glass is alone for the majority of the film, he does not have too many lines. However, this is part of the genius of his performance. The focus is on the emotion of his performance through facial expression and body language, without uttering a single word.

DiCaprio’s raw emotion contrasted perfectly with the emotionless cynicism of his on-screen enemy John Fitzgerald, Glass’s fellow fur trapper who is responsible for leaving him for dead, portrayed by Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road.”) While it was easy to hate Fitzgerald, it was also impossible to not respect Hardy for such an excellent portrayal of a villain. He makes the audience despise him for his selfish worldview, which comes to a head when he leaves Glass behind, despite knowing full well that he is still alive. He is the kind of selfish, money-driven man with no attachment to anyone but himself that you just love to hate.

Despite the fact that the villain was enthralling, it was DiCaprio’s emotion that was the highlight of the film. Particularly touching was Glass’s bond with his half-Pawnee son Hawk portrayed by Forrest Goodluck in his debut role. The boy faces much derision for his native roots, but he and his father’s bond overcomes all their difficulties. It is a love for his son that gives the onscreen Glass the will to survive his ordeal.

Despite being jarring for the viewer, another high point of the film was the use of violence. The bear attack scene was difficult to watch, emphasizing the raw violence and pain by using long, drawn out shots. This causes the audience to feel for Glass even more and understand the absolute mercilessness of nature when it is up against humankind. The theme of violence is furthered even more in the climax of the film in which Glass faces off with Fitzgerald, a scene which calls the audience back to the bear scene with its rawness and realism.

Receiving Oscar nominations for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” (1993), “The Aviator” (2004), “Blood Diamond” (2006) and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), it seems to many that either fate or the Academy are against Leonardo DiCaprio. However, many DiCaprio fans are hopeful that “The Revenant” may be the film that will finally get Leo his Oscar.

“The Revenant” was nominated for twelve Academy Awards, the most nominations of any film this year. It remains to be seen how many it will win, but it seems hopeful that, on Feb. 28 Leo will finally take home the much coveted Oscar.

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-- Junior | Co-News Editor -- English: Education

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