"The Revenant," a new film directed by Alejandro Inarritu and featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, chronicles the survival story of mountain man Hugh Glass. Inarritu captures many of Glass’s confrontations, placing initial emphasis on the violent bear attack that left Hugh Glass in a near-death position. Glass was later abandoned by his fellow hunters and left alone to fend for himself in the forest. Inarritu illustrates Glass’s journey back to civilization and showcases the harsh conditions he endured. By surviving the unfaltering and unpredictable forces of nature, making it back to his group’s fort alive, Glass’s endeavor became a legend.

He was deemed a revenant, for the term “revenant” refers to one who has returned, supposedly, from the dead. Following the scene with the bear attack, Glass is depicted with brutal scars and a thoroughly mutilated physique. He embodies the image of a terrorized spirit. It is an unnerving yet captivating portrayal, as it sparks the viewer’s curiosity and desire to find out how Glass was able to complete his journey.

There are gaps in the plausibility of the story, though. It seems almost unbelievable, for example, that Glass crawled part of the way back, for he was too weak to stand on both feet. Given his state of physical debilitation, such accomplishments seem insurmountable. In fact, there are no “eyewitness” accounts describing what actually happened to Glass during his time alone in the wilderness. Rebecca Onion, writer for Slate, explains that the first account we do have is from a letter written by another hunter, Daniel Potts, who worked for the same company as Glass. Potts’s letter is a secondhand account, rehashing what he had heard from the group of hunters that had been with Glass initially. Potts notes that he had heard that Glass was “tore nearly all to pieces by a White Bear.” The story of Hugh Glass has, therefore, been retold and reconfigured since the initial incident occurred in 1823.

This is, perhaps, not so surprising, as those who overcome extreme circumstances serve as inspiration for the rest of us. Inarritu attempts to shape the viewer’s perspective, trying to invoke that sense of inspiration. One is compelled to realize the extraordinary aspects of reality, such as the remarkable nature of the Western United States, where the Glass legend takes place. Inarritu seeks to bring viewers to the scene, letting fog and dirt accumulate on the outer portion of the camera lens. It almost feels like one is looking through the misty glass of a crystal ball, which conveys the bleary uncertainty distinct to Glass’s story. There are other stylistic choices that are made in order to blur the boundary between reality and fantasy, such as Inarritu’s choice of scenery. He emphasizes the dense forest and height of the trees, even alluding to the presence of a heavenly world beyond the trees. Indeed, there are moments in the film when the focus lingers on the bright sunlight that peeks through the treetops.

This creative, avant-garde style is notable in Inarritu's films, which also contributes to the open-ended nature of the Hugh Glass legend. While the story draws upon reality, a real person and real setting, it has the unique capacity to divert to the realm of mystery and ambiguity. When one leaves the theater, after the film ends, there remains a burning curiosity to find out more about Glass. We want to relate to Glass’s achievement and understand the mechanisms that allow for such success. In the case of Glass, since there isn’t much we know for certain, we are ultimately left to make our own interpretations.

It’s pretty satisfying, though, to see what Google has to say about him.