The Revenant
The Revenant (2015) is an epic survival and revenge Western set in the unforgiving American wilderness of the 1820s. Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass, the film chronicles Glass's harrowing journey after being brutally mauled by a bear, left for dead by his fellow trappers, and witnessing the murder of his son. Driven by an intense desire for vengeance, Glass embarks on a brutal trek through the harsh environment. The film is renowned for its stunning cinematography, immersive natural settings, and intensely realistic action sequences. It explores themes of survival, betrayal, revenge, and the indomitable human spirit. Due to its graphic violence, strong language, and disturbing scenes, the movie is intended for mature audiences.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe Revenant features pervasive, graphic, and intense violence throughout, including brutal combat, animal attacks, murders, and disturbing injuries. The depiction of violence is realistic, often gory, and central to the plot, depicting the brutal nature of survival and revenge in the frontier.
Hugh Glass endures a prolonged and graphically depicted grizzly bear mauling, resulting in severe lacerations, broken bones, and a ripped throat, leaving him 'more a mass of bloodied meat than man'. The film opens with a brutal ambush by Arikara warriors on the fur trappers, showcasing numerous deaths by arrows and muskets, including close-up shots of bodies being impaled and blood spatter. John Fitzgerald murders Glass's son, Hawk, by stabbing him multiple times as a paralyzed Glass is forced to watch. French trappers are shown engaging in violent acts, with one having his genitals cut off by a victim.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe film contains a disturbing scene of sexual assault and brief non-sexual nudity. While romantic content is minimal, the presence of sexual violence elevates this concern significantly.
A Ree woman named Powaqa is violently raped by a French trapper, depicted explicitly with her struggling, sounds, and visible shame, before Hugh Glass intervenes. There are several instances of non-sexual nudity, including full-frontal male nudity seen from a distance on a dying man hit by an arrow, and rear nudity (buttocks) of Hugh Glass and other bloody corpses being dragged through the snow.
Profanity
HighThe film contains frequent and strong profanity, including numerous uses of explicit curse words and blasphemous language. The language reflects the harsh and aggressive nature of the characters and their environment.
The script includes 'at least fifteen or so f-words,' 'a dozen plus s-words,' and a 'single use of the n-word'. Milder profanities such as 'damn,' 'hell,' 'piss,' 'bitch,' and 'ass' are used 'dozens of times'. God's name and Jesus' name are 'abused over a dozen plus times combined,' often paired with 'damn'. John Fitzgerald, for instance, uses the F-word when confronting Jim Bridger, yelling, 'you fucking lied to me'.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe film is exceptionally intense and contains numerous frightening and disturbing scenes. The realism of the violence, the constant threat of nature and human adversaries, and Hugh Glass's suffering create a harrowing and often horrifying viewing experience.
The grizzly bear attack is described as 'horrifying' and makes viewers 'squirm,' creating intense fear and discomfort due to its brutal realism. The film features 'gory and grotesque images' and 'disturbing scenes' throughout, including close-ups of Glass's festering wounds and the raw consumption of animal meat for survival. The relentless struggle for survival in the harsh wilderness, coupled with acts of betrayal and murder, maintains a high level of tension and psychological distress.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe film incorporates elements of Native American spiritualism, including visions and references to the afterlife and spirits. These elements contribute to a spiritualist worldview that is distinct from and sometimes presented alongside Christian themes.
Movieguide notes the presence of 'strong spiritualist occult content' and 'Indian spiritualism' within the film, including an 'Indian 'medicine man'' and 'images of Native American beliefs about the souls of dead people'. Hugh Glass experiences visions of his deceased Pawnee wife throughout his ordeal, which guide and motivate him. The title 'The Revenant' itself refers to a 'ghost or an animated spirit wreaking havoc among the living,' subtly hinting at supernatural undertones, even if Glass's 'return' is physical.
Substance Use
MediumAlcohol consumption is depicted on multiple occasions, with characters shown drinking hard liquor and appearing intoxicated. Tobacco use is also present.
Characters are seen consuming hard liquor, and 'drunken men appear on-screen on a few occasions,' including two men 'drunkenly dance with each other' in a fort. Tobacco use is also noted as present within the film.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumInstances of disrespect and rebellion are primarily seen through John Fitzgerald's actions, where he openly defies authority, mocks religious beliefs, and acts with extreme selfishness and malice, leading to dire consequences.
John Fitzgerald displays blatant rebellion and disrespect when he defies Captain Andrew Henry's orders to care for Hugh Glass, instead attempting to suffocate Glass and then murdering his son, Hawk, and burying Glass alive. Fitzgerald also consistently exhibits a disrespectful attitude toward Jim Bridger, mocking him and asserting a false sense of superiority, notably when he points a gun at Bridger and declares, 'I ought to be God to you. God giveth, and God taketh away'.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film contains strong anti-Christian sentiments expressed primarily through the character of John Fitzgerald, who is portrayed as an atheist and mocks Christian beliefs and rituals. This is balanced by the presence of Christian symbolism and themes of deferred revenge.
John Fitzgerald openly mocks God and religion, recounting a cynical story about his father finding 'God' in a squirrel and eating it with 'great glee'. Fitzgerald attempts to suffocate Hugh Glass, sarcastically offering 'the last sacrament' in a blasphemous distortion of a Christian ritual. He also states to Jim Bridger, 'I ought to be like God to you. God giveth, and God taketh away,' in a context that is highly disrespectful of divine authority.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowThe film contains minimal to no explicit LGBTQ or gender identity content within its narrative. While one review mentions 'two men drunkenly dance with each other,' this is a brief social interaction not explicitly depicted as romantic or sexual. Another satirical review playfully references 'bears' in the gay community as a commentary on the film's violent animal portrayal, but this does not reflect in-film LGBTQ characters or themes.
One review notes, 'Two men drunkenly dance with each other' in a fort scene, categorized under sexual and romantic content, though without explicit romantic or sexual undertones. Another review from an 'objective LGBT+ perspective' humorously critiques the portrayal of bears in the film, making a satirical parallel to 'bears' in the gay community, but this is a meta-commentary rather than an indication of LGBTQ content within the film's story.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
R-rated (Restricted), recommended for adults aged 17+ due to pervasive strong frontier combat and violence, including gory images, a sexual assault scene, frequent strong language, and brief nudity. Parents and caregivers should exercise extreme caution and consider this film unsuitable for children or younger teens.
Additional Notes
The film's visual style, employing natural light and long takes, contributes to the immersive and often unsettling experience. Its historical setting in the 1820s frontier is depicted with a focus on harsh realism, which includes the brutal realities of inter-tribal conflict and trapper violence. The runtime is approximately 2 hours and 36 minutes. There are no significant differences across theatrical or extended cuts that alter the core content concerns.
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