MAN IN THE WILDERNESS REVIEWED
“Man in the Wilderness” is one of the many takes on the story that inspired “The Revenant”. While the modern version is brutal and unforgiving, this one is far more melancholy. Staging itself as quite the 1970s revisionist Western, Richard Harris is more than capable as a contemplative revenge seeker. Through flashbacks we get to see the lives of Harris and his Captain (John Huston) as both struggle in different ways. While Harris just wants to make it back to his family, Huston wants the adventure to last a little longer.
Honestly, the film works as a contemplation on aging vs. the frontier. I’d recommend pairing the film with “A Man Called Horse” for that period Harris double feature. Both films want you to rethink the West, but they go about it so differently. Plus, they feel far less violent than they could’ve been. The more I think about it, the sparse landscapes and the use of flashbacks mirrors the living hell out of “The Hateful Eight”. Even that Tarantino film felt far less violent than it could’ve been. While being confused tonally about this movie, I have to admit that it’s going to stick with me for awhile. In fact, I might like it more than “The Revenant”.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Nothing
A/V STATS
- 2.40:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 2.0 mono