Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Heavy, punishing violence in DiCaprio's revenge Western.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
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Where to Watch
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The Revenant
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 25 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is a visually stunning yet deeply violent portrayal of survival and revenge, intended for mature audiences. Critics highlight its intense brutality, emotional weight, and the necessity for parental discretion due to graphic scenes, including violence and a rape depiction, making it unsuitable for younger viewers.
- mature content
- intense violence
- emotional impact
- parental discretion
- stunning cinematography
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 80 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a beautifully shot piece that centers around themes of revenge and survival, but it is heavily laden with graphic violence, nudity, and strong profanity, leading many to recommend it for mature audiences only. While appreciated for its cinematography and acting, viewers emphasize the intense gore, including bear attacks and a graphic rape scene, suggesting that it's suitable for teens aged 14 and above if they are mature enough to handle the content.
- mature audience recommended
- graphic violence
- strong language
- stunning cinematography
- intense themes
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
THE REVENANT takes place in the early 1800s, when a fur-trapping expedition is brutally attacked by Native Americans, and the leader, Henry (Domhnall Gleeson), decides to ditch their haul and return home. The group's survival depends heavily on Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), an experienced explorer who was once married to a Pawnee woman and had a son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), with her. When Glass is brutally mauled by a bear, the greedy, cowardly John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) and young Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) are left behind with Hawk to look after Glass—and, if he dies, to give him a decent burial. Unfortunately, Fitzgerald kills Hawk and hits the road with Bridger. Against all odds, Glass fights for life until he's able to travel, find Fitzgerald, and exact his revenge.
Is It Any Good?
This revenge Western boasts a committed performance by DiCaprio and extraordinary cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki. Lubezki—who also shot The Tree of Life, Gravity, and Birdman—gives The Revenant a fully immersive, three-dimensional look, with jaw-dropping long takes and striking physical realism. DiCaprio, for his part, turns in a grueling, visceral performance (one deserving of the Best Actor Oscar he won for the role) that focuses on the agony his character goes through.
For a while, it's easy to be carried away by all of this—until we realize that Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu doesn't quite have enough to say about the punishing atmosphere of the Old West, the tension between Whites and Natives during westward expansion, and the ways the frontier can turn people into beasts, no matter their origin. At 2 hours and 36 minutes, the film's punishing run time seems like a long attempt to add weight and profundity to a pulp Western. Some of the story turns are overly familiar, and the supporting characters are thin. Add to that a high level of sheer brutality, and The Revenant, while well-made, certainly isn't for everyone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Revenant's violence. What effect does the brutal, punishing violence have? In what ways is it necessary to the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
What's the appeal of revenge stories? What happens when Glass finally reaches the end of his quest? Is it satisfying? What does he accomplish?
What's the appeal of the Western genre? Which decades saw the most Western movies being made, and are Westerns still popular today? What are the hallmarks of the genre?
Glass manages to survive against all odds, injured, in the wilderness. Does that make him inspiring? Do his skills make you want to learn more about survival?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 25, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : April 19, 2016
- Cast : Leonardo DiCaprio , Tom Hardy , Domhnall Gleeson
- Director : Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Director(s) , Mexican Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : History
- Run time : 156 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : March 4, 2026
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