Here’s a new look at Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s The Revenant, the Mexican helmer’s follow-up to last year's Oscar winner Birdman. While the first trailer showcased the "frontier violence" for which it received its R-rating, this second trailer shows more of the mechanics of the revenge plot via a bear attack and a murdered son. 

Set in the early 19th century, the story centers on a hunter, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is left for dead by his compatriots following a bear mauling, which we see more in full here. Tom Hardy‘s John Fitzgerald would be the first man that Glass wants vengeance against for burying him and his son in the dirt after stealing all his possessions and leaving them for dead. We also get a few glimpses of Domnhall Gleeson and Will Poulter as co-stars, without fully knowing how they fit into the film.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

The first trailer was a pulsing jolt that was punctuated by DiCaprio's hyperventilation for nearly two breathless minutes (which was a state that I was also in whilst watching the frontier battles). This one features more dialogue and reveals the character that Iñárritu inserted into the true story to give Glass' bloodthirsty revenge a little extra gravitas: Glass' son, Young Hawk (Isaiah Tootoosis). Young Hawk is also left for dead by his father's compatriots after the bear attack (a possible racial motivation in harming Young Hawk is also revealed in some of the dialogue here). And if you need any more reasons to be enthralled, the trailer also boasts a glimpse of Iñárritu's own take on 19th century Russian Realism artist, Vasily Vereshchagin's 1873 work "The Apotheosis of War"—via a massive stack of buffalo skulls in the open plains (hat tip to staff writer Dave Trumbore for that knowledge; see, education in the arts pays digital dividends!).

All in all, December 25 can't get here soon enough. The naturally lit film, lensed by camera maestro (and back to back Oscar winner) Emmanuel Lubezki promises to be a beautiful and visceral looking film. After this trailer we can also expect some additional layers of drama in The Revenant.

The duality of the harshness of the frontier and of frontiersman is the reason why this is one of our most anticipated films of 2015. Check out the new trailer below and decide if it also makes your list.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Revenant from 20th Century Fox:

Deep in the uncharted American wilderness, hunter Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is severely injured and left for dead by a traitorous member of his team, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). With sheer will as his only weapon, Glass must navigate a hostile environment, a brutal winter, and warring Native American tribes in relentless quest to survive and exact vengeance on Fitzgerald. 

For more on The Revenant, be sure to check out some of our recent coverage provided at the following links:

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Image via 20th Century Fox