After a career filled with high-profile films, Leonardo DiCaprio may finally earn an Oscar for his part in an epic new film that has taken moviegoers and film critics by surprise. In Alejandro González Iñárritu’s twelve-time Oscar-nominated film “The Revenant,” Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) journeys the intense terrain of the 1823 American west, and DiCaprio perfectly captures the struggles of his character.

As in his other films, DiCaprio puts plenty of dedication into his role while adding an outstanding performance. In “The Revenant,” however, DiCaprio takes his performance to another level with the intent to truly develop the character, Hugh Glass.

DiCaprio genuinely deserves to receive his first Academy Award for his devotion to this film and to once and for all end the Internet phenomenon of taunting DiCaprio for his lack of recognition.   

The movie provides a glimpse into the lives of frontiersmen living between settled and unsettled territory of the Louisiana Purchase. The men are peacefully conducting their business of hunting for pelts and food when a group of Arikara Indians suddenly conduct a brutal attack on the camp.

Arrows fly in from all directions, resulting in mass chaos and hysteria. The carnage and bloodshed is enough to make even the most stoic audiences queasy. The few who survive flee to the boat and make a narrow escape. As the men realize that the Arikara are patrolling the river, they decide to abandon their vessel and continue the journey on foot.

While out searching for food, Glass is viciously attacked by a bear, leaving him greatly injured and near death. This scene is one of the film’s most terrifying, thanks in part to the skillful use of CGI in the creation of the bear. The creature looks shockingly real, making the attack both horrifying and mesmerizing.

The leader of the party, Captain Henry (Domhnall Gleeson), soon realizes that the group cannot safely continue with Glass in tow, and decides to move on without him. To insure Glass’s protection, however, Henry offers a cash bonus to any men who agree to stay behind with Glass until he heals. Among the three who take advantage of the offer is the volatile and outspoken John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), who had previously been greatly in favor of abandoning Glass.

In a shocking turn of events, Glass finds motivation to persevere despite his gruesome injuries and the harsh environment. Audiences watch as Glass, stoic and determined, becomes the titular “revenant,” a word that denotes one who has returned, especially from death.

Accompanying Glass on his intensive journey can be almost unbearable at times. The harsh conditions Glass proceeds through shows that “The Revenant” is clearly a film for a mature audience.

From the beginning of the movie to the end, the audience is exposed to a great deal of alluring nature shots, each more breathtaking than the last. The film was mostly shot in a lengthy, mountainous stretch in Alberta, Canada.

Iñárritu insisted on only shooting scenes in natural light, leaving only about two hours for filming a day. This use of natural settings and lighting creates a sense of authenticity and makes the film almost unsettlingly gritty and real.   

The releasing of “The Revenant” has evidently astounded moviegoers everywhere, as it has received numerous award nominations for different aspects the film.

The film has already won three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture Drama. DiCaprio won his first Screen Actors Guild Award for lead male actor, and this award should set the stage for his first Oscar as well.

The 2015 awards season will culminate with the Academy Awards on Feb. 28. The movie has been nominated for twelve Oscars, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Hardy) and Best Actor (DiCaprio), as well as a Best Picture nod.