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The Revenant

age 18+
(i)

 

Heavy, punishing violence in DiCaprio's revenge Western.
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  • Review Date: December 25, 2015
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 156 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

This is a revenge movie, with no other character traits in evidence other than the hero's dogged pursuit and the villain's greed and cowardice. In the end, the need to see that revenge through to the end personally is questioned.

Positive role models

While Hugh Glass is sympathetic for the way he appreciates nature and doesn't judge people by race -- and his skills as a frontiersman are undoubtedly impressive -- his main role in the film is seeking vengeance.

Violence

Men are shot through with arrows, and various body parts are hit (faces, limbs, etc.). Bloody wounds and gory corpses. A brutal bear attack includes with slamming and biting. Guns and shooting; stabbing. Burning homestead. A woman is killed while her son watches. A woman is raped. Characters are scalped. A character suffers great agony -- cauterizing wounds, starving, etc. Wolves attack a buffalo. Characters eat raw, bloody meat. Characters are hung in nooses from trees. A horse and rider fall over a cliff; a smashed, broken horse corpse is sliced open. Avalanche.

Sex

Brief full-frontal male nudity. Brief innuendo.

Language

"F--k" and "s--t" are used many times, plus "Jesus Christ," the "N" word (in reference to American Indians), "t-ts," "son of a bitch," "piss," "ass," and "balls."

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Whisky drinking in a background way.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Revenant is a revenge Western that's full of brutal, punishing violence. The main character (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) overcomes crippling wounds, hunger, cold, and pain to find the man who killed his son; he's often shown in great agony. Characters are also shot with arrows and guns, mauled by bears, and fall over cliffs. Blood, gore, and wounds are shown, as are dead bodies (both human and animal). A woman is raped. Language is also very strong, with uses of "f--k," "s--t," and more. There's a brief moment of full-frontal male nudity, and some whisky drinking is shown.

What's the story?

In the early 1800s, a fur-trapping expedition is brutally attacked by American Indians, and 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?

QUALITY

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, dimensional look, with jaw-dropping long takes and strikingly physical realism. And for his part, DiCaprio does punishing work, truly putting himself through the ringer for his art.

For a while, it's easy to be carried away by all of this -- until we realize that Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu doesn't quite have enough to say and that the movie, at 2 hours and 36 minutes, is an 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.

Families can talk 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? Why do you think it's less popular today than it used to be?

  • 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

Theatrical release date:December 25, 2015
DVD release date:April 19, 2016
Cast:Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson
Director:Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Genre:Action/Adventure
Topics:History
Run time:156 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity
Awards/Honors:Academy Award, Golden Globe

This review of The Revenant was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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  • Very Good: Engaging; good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging; good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging; OK learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Parent of a 12, 14, and 17 year old Written bymovielovinmother45 January 2, 2016
age 14+

Great Film for Teens

I was given tickets to this film from a co-worker and decided to bring my three children along also (Age 17, 14, and 12) and they absolutely loved this movie! I must admit I was a little unsure of bringing them after reading the review on Common Sense Media, but once again this is CSM over-reacting to a movie's violence. There is NO sex, minimal cursing which all children hear no matter what at school or sometimes even at home. The violence is fairly intense, but never gets gory. As for the film itself, it was absolutely fantastic! DiCaprio might as well begin practicing his speech because he is guarenteed the Oscar for his depiction as Hugh Glass. Families can talk about frontiersmen and how hard of a life it was in the past and why they should be thankful for what they have and how lucky they are in today's society. Overall, the film I give an A- and recommend for 14+
What other families should know
Too much violence
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Teen, 14 years old Written byrebo344 December 25, 2015
age 18+

Just give the man an Oscar.

The Revenant is one of the best of 2015. Leonardo Dicaprio is outstanding and I hope he gets the Oscar. Tom Hardy is great. The beautiful cinematography, the powerful music and story is worth looking for. Only problem is length. Grade: A.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
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Adult Written byjacklee January 9, 2016
age 18+

Amazing Film

This film was actually amazing. It is a bit slow and is extremely brutal with its realism, but it is definitely worth a watch for adults only. I mainly liked the spiritual message at the end with the final showdown between DiCaprio and Hardy. Overall, one of the best films I have seen in a while and definitely worth a watch.
What other families should know
Great messages
Too much violence
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