The Revenant (2015)

The critic calls it an astonishing sensory experience and a gruelling, exquisite, mystical odyssey of survival that plunges the viewer into a sub-zero hell that often looks like heaven. They single out the sublime imagery, DiCaprio’s raw and hypnotically good performance, and Iñárritu’s driven vision and technical choices for praise.

The critic hails it as majestic cinema and a technical tour-de-force, praising DiCaprio's agonisingly honest performance and Lubezki's immersive natural-light cinematography.

The critic calls it a mad, visionary and often preposterous survival tale that is very bloody and full of murky religious symbolism, but also astounding in its flights of macabre lyricism. They single out the visual daring and sheer demented scope of its ambition for praise while noting some overly contemplative moments.

DiCaprio delivers a standout performance in a brutal, immersive survival tale that the critic calls a big, brutal, shining meteorite of a film and unmissable.

The critic describes it as an unmissable masterpiece and a frontier story made as no other has been before, praising Leonardo DiCaprio’s brutally powerful and magnificent performance as well as the immersive camerawork and commitment to natural light. They single out the gruelling yet grounded depiction of the wilderness and Native American history.

The critic praises the visceral simplicity of the storytelling and technical artistry, especially the cinematography, while noting the gruelling spectacle and how it reveals truths about anguish and healing.

The critic calls the film a classic B picture fortified with Grade A resources and a survival tale of beautiful, brute strength. He praises the exceptional work of DiCaprio and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki for creating verisimilitude and beauty.

The critic finds the relentless, simple storytelling magnetic and the photography gorgeous and spiritual, though the film can feel like an act of sadism that is punishing and long.

The critic finds the brutal survival tale powerfully engrossing with awe-inspiring visuals and a potently physical lead performance, while noting the showy approach lacks nuance.

The critic finds the film a feat of high-wire filmmaking with pitiless violence, grueling intensity and breathtaking imagery but ultimately inflated and emotionally stunted. He praises the anchoring performance of ferocious commitment from DiCaprio and Lubezki's imagery.

The critic describes the film as an American foundation story that is by turns soaring and overblown. She singles out the beautiful natural tableaus and DiCaprio's diligent commitment for praise while noting the overblown elements.

The critic calls the film a very beautiful slog that turns into an endurance test and a solemn pilgrimage rather than an adventure. He singles out Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography for summoning wonders, including one unforgettable image, while noting the lack of transcendence or humility.

The critic views the film as a brutal feat of strength and technical tour de force in its survival sequences and visuals, but finds it ultimately amounts to pain without gain, overly literal in its approach and lacking deeper insight into themes of inhumanity.

The critic describes the film as a misery-fest and a monument to slick, mercenary grandeur, criticizing its overlong runtime, rudimentary metaphors, and weak script despite strong ambitions and cinematography. The bear mauling scene is singled out as the film's finest moment for its strange and effective illusion.

The critic calls it a feat of pure endurance-test cinema with immersive, visceral filmmaking that evokes classic directors, but finds it overwhelming and unmoving due to sparse story and character development.

The critic finds the film gut-churningly brutal yet beautiful, praising the primal violence of the bear attack scene and the director's masterful control and fluency in storytelling.

The critic praises the film's visceral and vivid portrayal of survival and endurance in harsh conditions, highlighting the brutal realism and visual poetry created by the director, cinematographer, and effects team. The bear attack scene and technical achievements stand out as particularly striking, though the intensity may overwhelm some viewers.

The critic calls The Revenant Iñárritu’s most clear-eyed and effective film, a stripped-down man-vs-nature survival tale that focuses on the emotional and mental toll of revenge rather than just physical hardship. They single out the visceral action sequences, especially the bear mauling, and Emmanuel Lubezki’s roving, immersive cinematography for particular praise.

The critic finds the film a unique, visceral Western that dwarfs its revenge plot with overwhelming natural forces and survival ordeal. They single out the stunning bear mauling sequence and Tom Hardy's standout performance for praise.

The critic praises the film's visceral intensity, stunning cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, and DiCaprio's committed performance in scenes of suffering, while noting it is a punishing, unremitting tale of survival and vengeance that ultimately argues against a cruel world.

The critic commends the craft, long takes, soundscape, and bear attack sequence but criticizes the lack of emotional depth, unrealistic polish, stereotypical portrayals, and how the film's brutality becomes silly without humor or substance, ultimately leaving the viewer cold despite its beauty.

The critic calls the results from a cinematic point of view stunning and praises the primal, relentless filmmaking and DiCaprio's near-wordless performance as the essence of great screen acting. He notes dazzling visuals and effects but finds it may be too brutal and lacking some emotional connection compared to the director's prior films.

The critic hails it as a masterpiece of all-in filmmaking and a nerve-wracking marvel, praising the intensive focus on the unforgiving wilderness and DiCaprio's complete physical immersion in the survival struggle. He singles out the painterly cinematography and technical achievements while noting the relentlessness may be excessive for some.