The Revenant (2015) in IMAX
(dir. Alejandro G. Inarritu)
By: Tarek Fayoumi
The Revenant, The Brutality feels alive in IMAX:
It has been ten years since The Revenant was released worldwide. It was released to smaller audiences and festivals in 2015, but 2016 is its year of global release. I saw The Revenant at an early screening in November of 2015, and I remember walking out feeling astonished, yet also stumbling from how breathtaking the experience was. The natural lighting throughout the film, the moments in which nature takes center stage, and the road to revenge all enthralled me. I revisited The Revenant in IMAX, and the massive screen size and sound immersed me even more. Especially the moments where the weather causes most of the impact for survival.
DiCaprio’s Performance Displays Greater Perseverance in IMAX:
The main character is Hugh Glass, and he is played by Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street). The setting is the 1820s around the territories surrounding the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. He is a frontiersman that is attacked by a bear, and is left to die brutally by one who has deceived him. Not only did someone betray Hugh, but also killed Hugh’s son. That traitor is John Fitzgerald and he is played by Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises). Once Hugh recovers he is on the road to avenge the death of his son. Throughout his journey there are dangerous tribes, animals, and nature always has an impact. DiCaprio’s performance won him his first Oscar. Revising The Revenant in IMAX made his performance look like a spiraling sacrifice that was a bigger rollercoaster than my previous experience with the film.
Worth the Time?
For those that can bear the many long moments of suffrage or vast scenery of vivid mountains, then there is a lot to be revisited in the IMAX format of The Revenant. Through the moments of the waterfalls, the attack by the bear, and the uncharted territory--the IMAX experience is by far the best and only way to feel truly part of The Revenant. The event was intended to just be two days at select IMAX locations, but at the link below, there may be opportunities where it will be played once more or a few more times. Visit the IMAX website for showtimes and listings.