1500 words- The revenant 2015- Alejandro González Iñárritu

The revenant, Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2015: Bear fight scene

Camera angle:

Throughout this scene, the camera stays close to the protagonist creating a personal feel throughout the scene. This leads to the viewer subconsciously empathising with the main character as the angle is closer to the protagonist giving an almost first person view as he is getting attacked. In different parts of the scene, the camera is looking up towards the bear as it is attacking the main character. This is a good substitute for the lack of gore in the scene because it creates the sense that the bear is attacking you making any kind of gore to affect the viewer's feelings not needed.

Camera angles are used effectively in this scene to create tension, when the bear is no longer attacking the protagonist, it is sniffing the ground. As the bear does the camera is extremely close to its nose so dirt hits the camera and the bears breathe is visible on the camera. Using this effect along with prominent breathing noises creates an intense tension for the audience. It makes you feel as if the bear is almost sniffing for you. It puts you in the protagonist's shoes.

As the main character is being dragged by the bear, the camera moves away from the bear, as if it is also being dragged away. This is another way in which the camera angles in the scene effectively gives a personal feel to the scene. The camera mimics the movement of the protagonist, the camera movement is swaying like the protagonist being carried away by the bear. The swaying is also slow, linking to the protagonists feelings. He is almost unconcisious meaning that when he is being carried by the bear, he wouldn't try to fight back as he doesn't have the strength. The camera movement shows this.

The director, Alejandro González Iñárritu based the revenant on a true story of a fur trapper called Hugh Glass. Iñárritu portrays the fact that it is based on a true story through the camera angles he uses in the bear fight scene. He uses medium and close up shots which make the scene feel more personal. When the protagonist is being scratched on the back by the bear, there is a close up on his face. This is also effective in making the film more true to the story and creates meaning. 

The camera movements are slow. This is effective because it connotes that you should not get close to the bear. The movements simulate that of approaching someone with caution which is typically linked to someone temperamental. This helps in giving the bear a personality as the camera approaches the bear slowly as the bear has calmed down, showing that the bear has changed mood.

The protagonist attempts to shoot the bear. The camera lines up with the rifle as he shoots the bear. This is another factor in adding to a first person feel for the audience. Seen as the film is based on a true story, this specific angle helps to add realism into Hugh Glass’ struggles when he was getting attacked by the bear. After attempting to shoot the bear, the camera still stays focused on the bear at the angle the rifle was aimed at. This, once again, adds to the first person feel in this scene. After this, the camera follows the bear as he attacks the main character. This is effective in adding mystery because the audience doesn't know what the bear is doing to the protagonist at this point as the bear's body blocks the view.

Lighting:

Throughout the film, the lighting is consistently dark. Particularly in this scene, the lighting is cold and creates tension to make the bear attack scary and memorable. Hugh Glass was famous for being attacked by a bear and the lighting contributes to the memorability of the circumstance. In contrast to the shocking bear attack, the lighting is cold and almost calm. The clip takes place in a forest creating a shrouded lighting as the trees block out natural light. 

Having a calm feel to the lighting makes the viewer focus more on what’s happening to the protagonist and helps to focus the viewer and become enveloped in one thing; what will happen to the main character.

Seen as a lot of the bear attack is filmed closer to the ground, this contributes to the dark lighting of the clip. The sky appears to be early morning adding blue tones to the lighting. Blue tones create a cold and creepy layer to this clip, stepping away from a gory bear attack and creating a sense of unsureness.

When the protagonist is on the floor, not being attacked, the lighting is almost black. This relates to what the character is experiencing. As the character has just been attacked by a bear, he appears to be on the verge of passing out, the lighting corresponds with this. The darkness of the scene acts like a void of the unknown as during this scene, we do not know if the protagonist is dead or alive. The darkness represents the unknown.