Leonardo DiCaprio is incredibly impressive in a movie that otherwise would have probably suffered without him and Tom Hardy.

It’s been a banner year for Tom Hardy. Well, mostly:  Mad Max: Fury Road,  to an extent, London Road,  – and then he had some odd moments like Legend, which, were unfortunate (especially since I love both him and Emily Browning, but so it goes). While he was snubbed at the Golden Globes, perhaps he’ll have a shot at the Academy Awards – we’ll find out about those nominations on Thursday, January 14th at 5:30 AM PST.

But someone who nods haven’t really been a question for? Leonardo DiCaprio. Yes, Leo’s been nominated a whole bunch of times for both the Oscars and the Golden Globes; ultimately the Globes have been kinder to DiCaprio, where he’s picked up two awards for his acting in The Aviator and The Wolf of Wall Street (he’s pending at the Globes for The Revenant.) Going deeper into the awards season rabbit hole – is this going to be THE MOVIE for DiCaprio? Will he snag the elusive Academy Award here? My vote is…yes.

The Revenant is a beautiful movie – don’t get me wrong – Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography is exceptional, and some of the other characters (pointing back at Hardy) are impressive. The acting from DiCaprio, however, is on another level; it really elevates this film, set in the 1800’s. This is a revenge movie: DiCaprio’s character, Hugh Glass, spends his time wandering around with his son, and their hunting party, while they attempt to find their way back to an outpost. But things go horribly wrong – on so many levels – and people end up dying (might I add, what I’d say is in a way that’s quite unnecessarily), so that you’re really able to establish with whom your emotions lie in this film.

I’ve eluded to this in my first few paragraphs here, but DiCaprio and Hardy really carry this film. You really get to feel for DiCaprio, while you get to really despise Tom Hardy. It feels like a piece straight out of the 1800’s, which makes it so believable. DiCaprio is emotional, visceral, and downright unforgiving. You grieve with him, you celebrate with him, you’re pissed with him.

Where I find the movie might have some problems is with some of the long, drawn out shots. Viewers should bear in mind that, while it might seem a little sleepy at first, take a second to appreciate that this movie was shot in natural lighting. Not even kidding. Yes, that would mean the crew had to get the takes right a certain number of times, and they could only shoot certain takes a certain number of times. That’s commitment to the craft. Still, I feel there will be a handful of viewers out there, who might be a bit antsy and find the movie’s pacing too slow. Perhaps they could have detracted from the numerous tracking shots (you’ll have seen those in some of the trailers, with the camera pointing up at the trees and the bright, bright sky), but really, it’s a tiny little bit I take issue with.

Overall? This one is worth seeing in the theatres. A solid 4 out of 5 from me.

Take a look at the trailer for The Revenant below!