I just got through watching this. I thought it was pretty good--kinda had that Jeremiah Johnson feel to it. Yes, visually stunning but some of it did drag on. I thought the sound on the blu-ray is way overmixed, though. They paid so much attention to upping the sound of the rivers, wind, etc that I couldn't hardly hear what anyone was saying most of the time. Tom Hardy's dialogue, with whatever accent he was trying to do, is almost totally incomprehensible. And I guess Leo got the Oscar just for his physical performance, because he doesn't have but maybe twenty lines in the whole movie. His dead wife speaks more than he does.....and you can't understand what she is saying either, all her whisperly ghost advice is drowned out by the sound mix also.
Gotta admit, that bear attack was pretty intense! Just for the visuals, this would be good to see in Imax, I'm sure. I did enjoy it, but I doubt it will get a second viewing from me. I thought the end shot, where he kind of breaks the fourth wall and stares right at the camera was a little lacking.
I wonder how many Tauntaun jokes were made on set during the dead horse scene?