Inglorious Basterds
Quentin does it again.
This film stars Brad Pitt and follows a group of Jewish American soldiers who’s sole purpose in the war is to kill and scalp as many Nazi soldiers as they can.
I’d heard so much negativity surrounding this film prior to it’s release. I generally despise film critics and avoid even reading them, but I just couldn’t avoid it this time. Scathing review after review brandished the film as boring, anti-climactic and just terrible. I don’t think those could be farther from the truth.
Inglorious Basterds is not only on par with Tarantino’s previous films, but it’s arguably close to the top. Is it better than Pulp or Dogs? I’m not going to waste time comparing or contrasting it to his other great films, but what I will tell you is that this one is at the top of his game.
The opening sequence in the French dairy farm hillside is incredible. The writing, classic Quentin, and the acting was superb. I refuse to believe that someone actually thought this dialogue was drawn out and pointless. The intensity and suspense was incredible, and it was only for the first chapter of the film.
Pitt and the Basterds were so great. The comedy intertwined with disturbing violence took me straight back to the ear scene in Dogs. Tarantino is so good and making you laugh one second, and then hold back your gag reflex the next. Generally, I haven’t been that big of an Eli Roth fan, but he was great as the Bear Jew. Granted, I think the truly redeeming fact is that we were left wanting more with the Basterds. The lack of action scenes from their perspective could be considered a negative toward the overall picture, but I find that it helps to intensify the scenes. It is also much better to leave wanting more than to have been overbombarded to the point of annoyance.
The rest of the main cast do a fantastic job. Shosanna Dreyfus is a compelling strong female character (big surprise coming from Tarantino) who’s ambitions of revenge against the Nazi’s are at the highest, but she plays it cool. The combination of her heroic ending in the movie theatre smoke is one of the great moments of this movie. I don’t want to explain more if you haven’t seen it, but you will understand once you have.
The last point I want to make is about Christopher Waltz as the Jew Hunter. I knew that he had won Best Actor at Cannes for his role in Basterds, so I had a high expectation of him going in. He fulfilled it and then went further, because I thought his slow paced, methodical characterization of the Nazi leader was chilling, yet so personable at the same time. After the first scene with him, you barely scratch the surface in just how methodical and calculating he is. Wonderful job by Waltz and well deserved recognition for it.
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is an amazing piece of film that is at the peaks of Tarantino and perhaps even overall cinema. See this one in the theatre at least once.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Totally agree with you on this! Fabulous Tarantino movie–one of his best!
September 15th, 2009 at 6:59 am
I haven’t read your article yet b/c I’m really busy, but Inglorious was definitely amazing. It still doesn’t touch Pulp Fiction, but never the less was yet another QT movie that was above and beyond all the other crap movies that are being made.