"He's afraid. He knows how far I came for him. Same as that elk, when they get afraid they run deep in to the woods."

Hugh Glass and his hunting team are attacked by a grizzly bear, leaving Glass with life-threatening injuries.  A member of the team, John Fitzgerald, kills Glass's son, Hawk, and leaves Glass for dead, driven by greed and racism, according to some interpretations. Glass, despite his injuries, must use his knowledge of the wilderness to survive and find a way back to civilisation. The film explores themes of survival, revenge, and the harsh realities of the American frontier.