--- title: "The Revenant: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-revenant/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-revenant" critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Revenant (2015): what the critics said Critics' score 76 from 18 reviews: 12 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics respond warmly to The Revenant’s punishing survival story, with praise concentrated on Emmanuel Lubezki’s immersive cinematography and Leonardo DiCaprio’s physically committed performance. The natural-light photography and brutal action sequences make the wilderness feel immediate and threatening, while the spare storytelling gives the ordeal a force many find engrossing. Even several less persuaded reviews admire the technical control, particularly in the bear attack sequence. The disagreement is over how much feeling and insight accompany the suffering, and the verdicts range widely. Supporters find emotional weight in the struggle for survival; detractors describe a prolonged endurance test with thin characterisation and heavy-handed symbolism. Sight and Sound finds the filmmaking immersive but unmoving, while Slant Magazine objects to the weak script and length despite admiring the cinematography. Collider offers a pointed counterview, finding a stripped-down survival tale attentive to the emotional and mental costs of revenge. ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Rating 5/5. 6 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/revenant-review/) ## Radio Times — Jeremy Aspinall Rating ★★★★★. 11 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-revenant-review-an-epic-true-story-of-survival-revenge-and-redemption/) ## The Independent Rating 5/5. 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-revenant-review-leonardo-dicaprio-and-tom-hardy-provide-shock-and-thaw-in-a-stellar-survival-tale-a6761206.html) ## The Times Rating ★★★★★. 17 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/hes-wildly-appropriate-p80fg8f98) ## Evening Standard — David Sexton Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-revenant-film-review-a3157271.html) ## Little White Lies — Adam Woodward Rating 5/4/5. 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-revenant/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-revenant-review-20151225-column.html) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-revenant) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2015. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-revenant-review/5097419.article) ## Variety — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/the-revenant-review-leonardo-dicaprio-alejandro-g-inarritu-1201649080/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/movies/review-the-revenant-welcome-to-paradise-now-prepare-to-fall.html) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 28 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/01/04/wilder-west) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/movie-review-the-revenant.html) ## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-revenant-2015/) ## Sight and Sound — Nick Pinkerton 15 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/review-revenant) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/04/the-revenant-review-gut-churningly-brutal-beautiful-storytelling) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/revenant-film-review-845152/) ## Collider — Tommy Cook Rating A-. 7 January 2016. 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. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-revenant-review-leonardo-dicaprio-tom-hardy-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 4.5/5. 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-revenant-review/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 21 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-alejandro-g-inarritus-fierce-and-unremitting-the-revenant-starring-leonardo-dicaprio-and-tom-hardy-20151221/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 15 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-revenant-2015-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2015/12/the-revenant-review-leonardo-dicaprio-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-1201653248/) ## The Wrap — Robert Abele 4 December 2015. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-revenant-review-leonardo-dicaprio-tom-hardy-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-revenant.md