The Revenant
Hugh Glass (by Leonardo DiCaprio)
A trapper who went for fur trading expedition in 1820s, then he was left for dead and turned to seek revenge for the murder of his son. In the beginning, he was a normal trappers with big body, long hair, bluish eyes and fair skin, with ability to speak in native language. He was willing to obey orders of Captain Andrew Henry to hunt for pelts in an unsettled wilderness of the northen Louisiana Purchase. With his wide experiences of the area and natives, he suggested the party to abandon the boat and began their journey back to their outpost, Fort Kiowa, on foot. While scouting ahead, Glass disturbed a cub, before he was ambushed by a grizzly bear. His back badly mauled, but he managed to kill her. His skin started rotten in the winter. The party chose to left him for dead. Glass saw Fritzgerald killed his son, Hawk but he cried that he could not help. His eyes were full of anger and wanted to revenge on behalf of Hawk after he crawled out of the grave. In the wood, he missed his deceased Native wife and felt hopeless. The moment the party left him alone, he turned into a strong survivor, he ate grass, leaves, anything that he could find around him. Floated down by rivers to escape Arikara, he was so lucky to survive from the rapids and met a Pawnee, Hikuc who shared bison meat with him. His friend travelled South with the same intention to seek revenge. He felt hope in his face though injuries started to rotten badly. Hikuc was very caring that he cut off trees to build Glass a shelter during a blizzard. Glass got pissed off when he found out Hikuc was hang on tree by a group of French pelt hunters. He took revenge for Hikuc and rescued Powaqa from being rape by French’s leader. After Glass found Henry killed by Fritz, he ambushed him. they engaged in a bloody fight on a river bank. Arikara spared Glass for rescuing his daughter, Powaqa. Her smile made Glass reminisced about his deceased wife.
The main cast for The Revenant by Hugh Glass is designed very well. The Revenant is to express the experience of Glass who travelled a long journey and returned, especially supposedly from the dead. His strong survivalism in the woods, winter, rapid stream and towards wild attacks were all the main focus for this movie. I respect Glass for his strong determination where he would not give up though he was already left alone behind. Though his back was badly injured, he still kept crawling on his chest to reunite with his party. It is very important for a trapper to have wide knowledge of area and local natives like Glass so he would not get killed easily.
Captain Andrew Henry (by Domhnall Gleeson)
The tall captain of the party with blonde short hair. He looked fierce in his brownish eyes when he gave orders. He led command of the entire party of trappers to hunt for pelts in an unsettled wilderness of the northen Louisiana Purchase. Suddenly, Arikara Native Americans or they called them the Indians attacked his party’s camp, he bought few of them to flee on a boat. When Glass was argued to be left behind, Henry offered payment to those who was willing to stay behind with him. Henry yelled at high pitch when he realied Fritz lied to him that Glass was dead. So angry that he charged Bridger being irresponsible for leaving Glass behind. Henry cared for Glass after he returned to the Fort. He told Glass to stay for treatment. Glass insisted on joining him to find Fritz. However, Fritz shot Henry when Glass
was on the other side looking for Fritz. He was a very good Captain that cared each and every of his members. He respected Glass recommendation of travelling on foot to their Fort. Though he knew he could not leave Glass behind, but he asked volunteers to stay with Glass so that they could still moved ahead to the Fort. He thought ahead to keep the party safe from Arikara attacks. However, I did not agree Henry decision for charging Bridger to prison. He should have investigated the truth before dumping one into prison.
Bridger (by Will Poulter)
A young trapper with fair skin and short curly hair. He was very responsible to take care of Glass when he was already dying. He volunteered to stay though he knew their journey would be very harsh. However, he was not attentive that Fritzgerald once lied that Arikara were nearby and that they must left and abandoned Glass. After he travelled far with Fritz, he then reallized all the lies. He was kind hearted but too incautious of what happening around. When he reached Fort Kiowa with Fritzgerald, Henry
offers payment to them, but Bridger refused payment. I can see that Bridger was guilty of leaving Glass behind. I did not agree Henry decision for charging Bridger to prison. It is because he was cheated
by Fritzgerald to leave Glass before Ree’s attack. I wonder whether Henry released him from prison after Glass told Henry the truth of Bridger not telling lie.
Hawk (by Forrest Goodluck)
Glass's half-native son with black hair and short legs. He volunteered to stay when Glass was badly injured. Being to naive, he was killed incautiously from his back by Fritzgerald. His father, Glass felt unfair for him. Glass rest on his son’s chest and he sweared he would take revenge for Hawk. Hawk was a filial son, where he wished to stay with Glass though he knew his father was close enough to death.
Protagonist
- the leading character or one of the major characters in The Revenant.
John Fitzgerald
He is the main antagonist characters of movie THE REVENANT. He is one of the group members of trappers and hunters with Hugh Glass who hunt for pelts in the wild. The wilderness is also the territory of the Arikara which bring treats and pursue the invader which is trappers and hunters. John Fitzgerald has avaricious and selfish personality. At first, he try to kill Hugh Glass when he find out Glass had wounded by a bear but his action stop by others trappers. The intention of Fitzgerald to kill Glass is to avoid slowing down the journey back to settlement. This action show how selfish is John Fitzgerald. After that, he hired by the leader to bring Glass back to settlement without slowing the group. On the way back to the settlement , he killed Glass’s son and leave Glass alone at the wild. He went back the settlement and lie the leader that Glass get caught by the Arikara so that he could get his reward. From my point of view , John Fitzgerald has a great contrast between Hugh Glass at some point. John Fitzgerald is a villain that drive by greed to the money and survival but Hugh Glass is strive by love. His roles make us eager to see Hugh Glass’s revenge for his son which made the movie excited to watch.
The Rees
Other characters that go again Hugh Glass and the group is the Arikara also known as the “Rees”. Arikara is the native of the wilderness where Hugh Glass and his group is hunting for pelts. The Arikara felt uneasy and get terrorize by Glass and his groups. Arikara pursued the trappers group and force them retreat to the settlement. The Arikara pursuit has created a survival scenario which every trappers try their best to survive through the wilderness. This made the tempo of the movie getting faster and faster. The Arikara reflect the issue in real life between development and environment in the wild.
Antagonist
- a person who is opposed to, struggles against the returned of a almost dead person.
A character who reflect the personality of Hugh Glass is Hikuc. Hikuc is a rees who alone, his family had killed and he survive in the wild on his own. So do Hugh Glass who was a left behind by Fitzgerald and other trappers and survive his own to the way back to settlement. Hikuc had helped Hugh Glass after he knew that the similarity between him and Glass by sharing food and heal Glass. Hikuc had reflect Hugh Glass characteristic both are lone survival.
Mirror Character
- a person who gives support, is most aligned to the protagonist.
Romance Character
- a person who is active in pursuing romance with the protagonist as well as being supportive.
The romance character in the movie is actually an illusionary character. During the survival, Glass keeps recall back his wife who was dead. Glass’s wife was a Rees which a clue for knowing why Glass has a Rees son and can speak native language fluently. His wife gave Glass a lot mental support in the movie which made him able to get back the settlement with his bear injury.
From this movie, cast by Hugh Glass is the most focused on. I feel the harshness of life of Glass went through the woods, ran from Arikara's attacks, bear attack and abandon by own party alone in the woods. However, throughout his survivalism, someone he met helped him heal his wound. He was able to survive until the end. Not only Glass, other characters like Captain Henry, Bridger, John Fritzgerald, Hawk have their own individual characters. But not as deep as Hugh Glass. Their characters are supporting the climax and resolution of this movie. The Revenant is successful to describe the person who actually got to return from closely dead.
Lai Hong Jing 1001541101
Ho Xin Yun 1001541096
Student 3 & 4:
To critically assess the Cast Design and their individual character. Was the cast designed well? Did all characters have a purpose? Were the individual characters well explored? Or lacked depth?
Hugh glass
Who was a explorer, hunt for pelts in the Montana and South Dakota, and has a half-native son. He helps the captain Andrew Henry to escape from the attack of the natives and search for pelts. In the middle of the journey he was badly injured by a grizzly bear and betrayed by a team member. He then came back for revenge.
John Fitzgerald
The antagonist of the movie who always oppose and argue with hugh glass. He wanted to kill glass when he was badly injured, to speed up their journey, as he made a promise to captain Andrew Henry that he would stay with glass and give him a proper burial until he dies. but then he cheated and killed the son (Hawk).
Captain Andrew Henry
He leads a party of trappers to hunt for pelts in the wilderness of the Northern Louisiana Purchase. He is a friend of Hugh glass and follow the lead of glass in the wilderness. He died when accompany glass to hunt down for Firzgerald.
Jim Bridger
A young explorer or trapper, who volunteer to follow Fitzgerald for glass burial. he was betrayed, Fitzgerald lied him and made an escape to leave glass behind the attack of natives. Bridger was a good guy that try to help others, he then realized and never help Fitzgerald.
Hawk
the son of hugh glass, half-native, was disliked in the party most of the time. Hugh glass loves him a lot, that he would protect him from anything. He was killed when he try to fought back fitzgerald for killing his dad. Glass was badly injured and Jim was not around to help him.
The Set Up
Captain Andrew Henry leads a party of trapper to hunt for pelts in the wilderness of Northern Louisiana Purchase, when the Arikara Native Americans give a sudden attack on the party's camp, the party escaped by boat. They've lost number of trappers during the escape, Captain Andrew Henry wanted Hugh glass to lead the way because he is the one knows the way more than him, but most of the trapper wasn't really agree about it. Glass asked the party to leave and set the boat free to travel on land, so that the native would not know the way they heading. Through the journey Glass was the person who bravely leads the way, so as the son (Hawk).
The Development
While scouting ahead, he was badly injured after the fought with a grizzly bear that ambushed him while he unintentional disturbed the cubs. He was carried back to the camp to perform a light healing by captain andrew henry, so that he could make it back to home. The party’s member was ordered to carry Glass on a stretcher through the journey back home. Until a steep slope of the winter mountain, fitzgerald argued that glass has slowed down the journey too much and wanted to left him for death. The captain have no choice and have to agree with, he then order fitzgerald to give glass a proper burial after his death. Jim volunteer to follow fitzgerald of the order. While Jim was exploring in the wild, fitzgerald breaks the promise and try to kill glass instead of waiting. Hawk stood up to protect glass but, unfortunately, scarified himself. After Jim came back from scouting, fitzgerald lied him that hawk was exploring the wild, and the native were heading towards their direction. Jim was full of fear and obscure by fitzgerald. Glass hardly alive, but he always remember the quote that her wife “As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight”. He then survive suffering in the wild with these injuries, escaping from the native. In the journey Glass met one of the native and get help from him, but on the half way the native friend was killed. All these anger and frustration has made Glass holding more vengeance and hatred towards fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald never thought that glass would survive through the harsh environment and cheated on the captain for giving a proper burial to glass, claimed for the money on his duty. When glass tries to steal a horse from the france party, he accidentally drop the bottle that Jim left for him, when they abandoned him. A slave then give and exchange the bottle he picked up to ask for help, as Jim discovered the bottle was the one he left for glass.
The Pay Off
From that point they realized glass wasn't dead yet. So the Captain immediately ask for direction and search for glass. Eventually they found glass, and glass tells the truth of everything. Glass and captain immediately rushed into the forest to hunt down Fitzgerald, who escaped once he discovered glass is still alive. Finally, glass has found the enemy and killed him. The story end on the quote of "revenge is in God's hands", and Glass left the last breathe of fitzgerald to the native.
Character Key Development
TAN YEONG EN
1001231238
To compare the story of the movie to One of the eight basic stories learnt in class
Movie : The Revenant
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
The revenant is an amazing movie for me and also Leonardo Dicarprio. This story is about a man of trapper, Hugh Glass who seeking revenge for the murder of his son, Hawk.
One day, a party of trappers or hunters under a captain name Henry. They went in an unsettled forest and hunt for pelts. Halfway, a group of Arikara native launch an attack on the party, they were affraid and scare because they couldnt see where were they hiding and launch attack. Many of the trappers were die and just left a hit of them in the wilderness. At the recommendation of the party guide's guide and most experience hunter Hugh Glass who has knowledge of the area and natives, they abandon the boat and begin the journey back to thier place. Then, Hugh Glass was attack by a bear while he was scouting ahead. The bear eat and hurt hug glass's back and neck after he shoot one gun toward the bear. In the end, hugh glass manage to kill the bear with his hidden hand knife but he still got serious injured and badly mauled. After that, the party discover him and offer him treatment because they believe Hugh Glass is an important man due to his experience.
I found out that this story is about CANDIDE concept. Why i would say so? Candide concept is about The innocent abroad, the optimism triumphant, the hero who cannot be kept down.
After Fitzgerald notice that Hugh Glass's injured very serious, he argue with the party claim that he will not survive and should left him behind or kill him in order to speed up their journey. To avoid of killing him, captain Henry offer payment to those who follow his step. Once alone with hugh glass, fitzgerald tries to kill him, but his son Hawk discover the incident. Then, a struggle happen between his son and Fitzgerald. Lastly, Fitzgerald kill his son and Hugh Glass helpless watches and the side. Then, Fitzgerald lies that arikara people is nearby and suggested to abondon Hugh Glass. And said that Hawk is missing too. After that, glass crawls out of the grave, and live by himself for some days. He swear that he must survive in order to revenger for the murder for his son. He then meet Hikuc, who share meat with him during his difficult time. Both of them tavel together on horseback, and Hikuc builds hlass a shelter. Both of then got some fight and adventure with the arikara people.
Last but not least, Fitzgerald realise that Glass is still alive, he then steal the fort's money and escape. Captain Henry and Glass together to find Fitzgerald. After they split up, Fitzgerald kills captain Henry. Glass is furious and to look for Fitzgerald. He then found him and shoots him in the shoulder. Both of them have a bloody fight. Glass is about to kill Fitzgerald but he remember what Hikuc had told him during his difficult time. So, he pushed him downstream into the hands of the arikara.
"Blood lost, life found, I ain`t affraid to die anymore, I done it already." by Hugh Glass
HWAN CHING SHEONG
1001541143
Along the story plot, The background setting was in a forest and mountain. Where all the hunters hunt for the pelts. The casting were made with alot of trees. I believe with the trees, it could create such depth of field to the viewers. Making it realistic with the actual hunting action. The weather was a major issue for this project. At first, The Revenant was only to be filmed in an extensive area near Calgary in Alberta, Canada, plus a scene shot in the neighboring state of Montana in the USA. But due to the lack of snow, the production had to move to southern tip of South America in Argentina.
The Revenant
To critically assess the Genre and Background & Setting of the film. Did it successfully convey? And was it suitable? Could you easily understand the setting?
Genre
The Revenant, a 2015 American Western film directed by Alejandro G.Inarritu, which had a total budget of 135 million investment on the film casting. The movie had the first release date at December 16,2015. Based on Michael Punke’s novel The Revenant, and inspired by the experiences of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass , the story conveyed into a 156 minutes movie, starring by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy , Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter. The genre which to create such adventuring and survival of a character, Hugh Glass ( Leonardo DiCaprio ) the one who have been attacked by grizzly bear and abandoned by his hunting party. Besides that, the director also wanted to create a thriller atmosphere during the movie. Where Glass being suddenly attacked by the bear with the affect of the camera position. I personally felt it was the most realistic bear fight among the movies i watched.
One of the beginning chapter, where the native people ( Arikara Native ) attacked the hunting troops. Many of the members were killed. And after the incident, Glass were hand over to lead the troops to the safety as he was the most experienced hunter as he had a relation with the native people . He also had a son named, Hawk a half native mixed son. Glass raised him alone as his mother, Hugh’s wife were killed by the white man. The cast were made nearby the riverside. Where viewers can experience how the people flees from the woodlands to the river . In this point, I can feel how they are trying to flee with their live. Struggling to get to the safety.
After being badly injured by the bear, Glass had to face through the struggling from the death. He had to use all his surviving skill to get back his revenge to John Fitzgerald whom killed his son and suggested to let Glass die for slowing down the team. He faced death but still never give up on hope even though his skin was rotting. Whereby the lesson is not to give up in whatever condition. The condition of the weather makes Glass even harder to survive the challenge he faced.
Overall view, I think The Revenant had successfully convey the viewers experiencing. The snowy and woodlands of the background which bring more dramatic effect to the adventuring genre. The struggling of the acting from Leonardo is very realistic and made the movie exciting.
LIM WINN SERN
1001541161
A lot of people said the movie is very dragging, long , and less conversation or action. But what i feel about the movie, it's actually different. I'm not just watch the movie, i actually experience and feel what's going inside the movie. The environment, it's like bring us back to the history. There is a lot of brutal scene but it won't feel disgust, because i already felt what's inside the movie, brutal fighting is very normal during that time. So i would rate the movie 8/10, because hardly any movie these day they could make like this.