Absolutely awesome and a must-see. Towering performances from DiCaprio,Tom Hardy, Domnall Gleeson and Will Poulter (three of whom are British/Irish). Will make you feel very grateful to have been born in the age of central heating and hot running water. Those fur-traders were incredibly tough and make us all look so nesh. It might be hard to believe that a chap survived being severely chewed up by a grizzly bear if we didn't know it was based on true events. The presentation of the environmental pressures combined with the financial pressures combined with the cultural pressures was simply masterful. The interwoven narratives of the native American characters was also masterful. And the cinematography is absolutely stunning. I don't have a bad word to say about it. Go and see it at once.

If your life's been lacking a gritty, dirty, bloody Western then look no further than The Revenant. Bookended with shots of flowing rivers, this is a film which requires a holding of breath and a cold dive in - go with it and it'll carry you violently downstream and dump you out at the other end.

The film is based in part on the true story of Hugh Glass, a 19th century hunter who is left for dead by his companions in Montana's winter wilderness following a savage bear attack. Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the role of Glass and it would be a huge surprise if he were to be overlooked at next month's Oscars (the film has received 12 nominations in total). His is a hugely physical performance, dragging his body across the very harshest of landscapes, encountering violence, unforgiving rivers and plenty of dead animals along the way.

To say much more about the story would give the game away, though it's fair to say that this a tale of revenge, with DiCaprio slowly edging closer to his quarry, Tom Hardy's John Fitzgerald, throughout the 152 minute running time.

Perhaps it could be a little shorter but this is a film which rewards commitment from the viewer. The camera work is incredible, with a 360 degree pan making it feel as if you're inside a hyper-real role-playing computer game, fully taking part in the action rather than merely observing. The opening scene is outstanding, rivalling that of Saving Private Ryan in its brutal depiction of a group of men under attack.

The Revenant is almost certainly not for everyone but if you aren't put off by a bit of gristle then wrap up warm and catch this at the Phoenix while you can - definitely one to see on the big screen this winter. Just watch out for those bears when you're walking home...