Release date: December 25, 2015 (USA)
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Running time: 2h 36m
Box office: 288 million USD
In
1823, a party of trappers under the command of Captain Andrew Henry
hunt for pelts in the unsettled wilderness of the northern Louisiana
Purchase. When Arikara Native Americans launch a surprise attack on the
party's camp, many of the trappers are slaughtered and the survivors
flee on a boat. At the recommendation of the party's guide and most
experienced hunter Hugh Glass, who has knowledge of the area and
natives, they abandon the boat and begin the journey back to their
outpost, Fort Kiowa, on foot. The decision bothers some, particularly
John Fitzgerald, who is hostile towards Glass's half-native son Hawk, as
he was partially scalped by natives years prior.
While
scouting ahead alone, Glass is ambushed by a grizzly bear after
disturbing her cubs. He manages to kill her but is badly mauled; the
party discover him close to death and carry him on a makeshift
stretcher. Fitzgerald argues that Glass will not survive his injuries
and that they should kill him to speed their journey. Unwilling to kill
Glass, Henry offers payment to those who will stay behind with him
instead. Fitzgerald, Hawk, and the young Jim Bridger volunteer. Henry
has Fitzgerald promise to stay with Glass until he dies and give him a
proper burial.
Once
alone with Glass, Fitzgerald tries to smother him, but Hawk discovers
them. A struggle ensues and Fitzgerald kills Hawk while Glass helplessly
watches. When Bridger returns, Fitzgerald says Hawk is missing, and
Glass is too injured to protest. Later, Fitzgerald lies that the Arikara
are nearby and that they must abandon Glass; he drags Glass into a
shallow grave. Bridger hesitates but flees with Fitzgerald, leaving
Glass with his canteen. Glass crawls out of the grave and walks through
the woods for days, haunted by visions of his deceased Native wife. He
escapes the Arikara, whose chief is searching for his kidnapped daughter
Powaqa, by floating down rapids.
On
their way to Fort Kiowa, Bridger realizes that Fitzgerald lied, but
Fitzgerald intimidates him into silence. When they arrive at the fort,
Fitzgerald tells Henry that Glass succumbed to his wounds and that Hawk
was likely attacked by the Arikara. Henry pays Fitzgerald his reward,
but Bridger refuses payment.
Glass
encounters Hikuc, a friendly Pawnee who shares bison meat with him.
Hikuc too has lost family, but says that "revenge is in the Creator's
hands." The two travel together on horseback, and Hikuc builds Glass a
shelter during a blizzard. Glass wakes to find Hikuc hanged by a group
of French pelt hunters. He infiltrates the camp and sees the leader
raping Powaqa. He frees her, kills two hunters, and retakes Hikuc's
horse, leaving behind Bridger's canteen. He encounters the Arikara again
and escapes by galloping off a cliff, killing the horse and injuring
himself further. He survives the night by sheltering inside the horse's
carcass.
At
Fort Kiowa, a lone French hunter arrives carrying Bridger's canteen.
Believing it was stolen from Hawk, Henry organizes a search party and
leaves to find him. Fitzgerald, realizing that Glass is alive, steals
the fort's money and escapes. Henry's search party discovers Glass and
brings him to the fort. Furious, Henry charges Bridger with treason, but
Glass assures Henry that Fitzgerald lied to him. Glass insists on
joining Henry to find Fitzgerald. After they split up while tracking
him, Fitzgerald ambushes Henry. Glass finds him dead and scalped.
By
pretending to be dead, Glass ambushes Fitzgerald and shoots him in the
shoulder. He chases him into the woods and they engage in a bloody fight
on a river bank. Glass is about to kill Fitzgerald, but remembers
Hikuc's words and pushes him downstream into the hands of the Arikara.
The chief, accompanied by Powaqa, scalps and kills Fitzgerald but spares
Glass. Glass walks away and collapses. He has a vision of his wife, who
smiles at him before disappearing into the woods.
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