Revenant

I sometimes think of revenge as a justifiable and expected response to a serious affront or hurt.  Forgive me Jesus!  An example would be the plight and rage of trapper Hugh Glass played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie “The Revenant.” 

According to the movie description:  “Inspired by true events, ‘The Revenant’ is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit [True].   In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.  In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption [revenge].”  

This film won an Oscar for Best Actor, Best Director, and Cinematography.   In other words, it appealed to large audiences, and I suspect those audiences cheered him on as he sought revenge for the killing of his son by Fitzgerald.   The need for revenge is what made his survival possible; he was hell-bent on killing Fitzgerald.  I would have been similarly motivated.

Spoiler Alert!   I’ve seen the movie three times, and each time I marvel at the acting and photography including the plot twist and especially the final scene when Hugh and John fight to the death in the snow along a flowing, icy stream.   With both severely wounded and Hugh about to kill Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald knifed and bleeding said, “You came all this way just for your revenge, huh? Did you enjoy it, Glass?... 'Cause there ain't nothin' gon' bring your boy back.”  After unexpectedly pausing, Hugh then said, “No... Revenge is in God's hands.  Not mine.”  Hugh stops.  Earlier in the movie a wandering Pawnee Indian who had saved a feverish Hugh had said: “Revenge is in the hands of the Creator.”  

The movie’s intensity and compelling acting, makes one wonder about Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”   Earlier in the movie, Hugh had a dream while suffering from his wounds.  He saw a painting of Jesus on a cross.  Perhaps the Director’s intent was to challenge his audience to remember Jesus’ words and to have us ask ourselves if we would have stayed the knife.            

P.S.   The Revenant made me wonder if under the same circumstances I would have said the same, “Revenge is in God’s hand, not mine.”    Probably not.   Then again, Hugh pushed Fitzgerald into the nearby stream where he was carried to waiting Arikara Indians who witnessed the struggle in the snow.  The leader scalped and killed Fitzgerald with Hugh looking on.  Some have said, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”  In the freezing cold of the river, I guess that serving was cold. 

Deacon David Pierce